Double PR* @ MAC ATTACK 5k (Correction)

Last night was the Mac Attack 5k by Brighter Tomorrows (see below for a link and info on Brighter Tomorrows).  Its been a while since I've done the Mac.  It was my first ever running race/5k--that was 1999.  I don't really count the time from 99 thru 07 as a time when I was a "runner".  I was mountain bike racing a lot then and as I have said before, I would just sign up for a run, do it, then have trouble walking for the next couple of days.  I did a few duathlons in 07, ran a couple times before each one, but in 2008 I stopped mountain and road racing (bike) took on du's & tri's and figured I better learn how to run. Still learning.  Anyway, the Mac Attack is significant for me since it was the first 5k that I ran, and it was Jace's first ever 5k that he ran.  He was 7 at the time in 2008.  Last night he ran his 4th Mac Attack in a row.  I last ran it in 2001, but have ran along side Jace the in 07 & 08.  Last night I raced in it myself.  First, however, I want to recap Jace's race.

Last year Jace was 4th in his AG (10 & under).  Four boys ran together as we saw them come thru the first mile in a tight little group.  Then they split up a bit in the last .1 as they sprinted.  All finished within 5 seconds of each other.  Here's how they finished (this is taked from RTC site so it is public info):

Boys 10 & Under
Overall, Name, Age, Time
26. Isaac Cheruiyot 9, 22:37
27. Simon Kennel 9, 22:40
28. Richard Roden 10, 22:42
29. Jace Minelli 9, 22:42

In 2010, the first two above got a jump on Jace and Richard in the last stretch. Jace and Richard raced to the chute, but Richard got a step ahead at the line.  This year since I was running, I didn't get a chance to watch the boys race unfold, but I did see Jace finish--without any other kids next to him.



Jace 1st AG 10 & Under, 22:26



With all the cheering going on and kids finishing in which you couldn't tell their ages, I didn't know, or care that much which boy won, I was just so proud of Jace to finish strong and just to be out there doing it.  It was nice that he beat his time from last year, but even talking to him, he thought there was a boy or two ahead of him.  We were just so proud that he runs well and cares about it.  He doesn't show too much emotion and eventually, after I praised him a couple times, he finally was like "Ok, alright, I know."  He doesn't like the attention.  Later though, he starts talking about what was going on out on the course and you can tell he's proud of what he accomplished.  One of the boys from above would be 11 now and in the next age-group (AG) up, but we weren't even sure if he raced this year.  So at least 3 of the top four 10 & Under boys from 2010 were there last night and here's how they finished:
Boys 10 & Under
Overall, Name, Time
28. Jace Minelli, 22:28
34. Isaac Cheruiyot, 22:48
35. Sebastian Vile, 22:52
39. Simon Kennel, 23:24

Jace, Sebastian, Isaac

What a change from last year. 

As for my return to the Mac Attack, it when well.  When I ran this a few times years ago, I never got under 20 min--my best time was 20:22.  In fact, I didn't get below 20 min in a 5k till 2008--the year I started run-specific training. Hmmm, training must help : )   So last night I could tell it was going to be tough.  An evening race on a Sunday.  The very last moments in a training week.  I did a 2 hour run-bike-run tempo brick yesterday, but 'felt' like I recovered. This is only a 5k so if you're training and throw this in, you can muster up enough energy to push it. 10k at the end of the weekend, maybe not--at least not me.  Also, there were a lot of "runner types" there--HS kids with track flats on, section HS final t-shirts, waiyg looking men and women that look ready to fly, etc. Signs that there were runners there.  GO!  So we start off and I move into 2nd right away.  Man, I'm feeling it within the first 15 seconds.  I just thought, 3 miles, < 20 minutes, done.  Within a 1/4 mile, a young guy, about 6'5", built more like a basketball player (broad shoulders, muscular) was up on me by 20 feet, easy.  I believe he was wearing the Brooks Green Silence -- a shoe only a runner would wear--not a B-ball player would wear, much less even know about.  I knew right there that he was in front for a reason. I am hearing footsteps right on me the whole first 1/2 mile, then just after that, another young guy--this one about 16, or 17 years old at the oldest, gets in front of me, then eases up a bit.  His name is Clare as he had a few friends along the course cheering him on.  I would run next to, and behind Clare the rest of the race.  Mile 1 we hit @ 5:22. At that time the leader was about 50 yards up on us.  After that Green Silence just got faster.  He got such a gap on us that we couldn't even see him anymore!!  I actually thought he took a wrong turn, which is almost impossible on this course.  So it was a race for 2nd between Clare and I.  We did mile two in 5:45 so we were slowing down, but I didn't care, and frankly, I couldn't really go any harder.  During mile three Clare seemed so slow down even more.  I thought he was just playing with me.  We were a good 45 to 60 seconds up on the next people behind us so we had some room to toy around with strategy a bit.  With about 2/3 of a mile to go, I sped up to see what Clare would do--he matched me.  Game on: Age 40 versus highschool kid.  I got behind him and we ran a little more steady for the remaining distance. We turned the last corner, a hard left, and could see the finish up ahead.  I waited about 50 feet.  He wasn't going--SO I WENT.  I started sprinting out the last tenth of a mile.  I looked back and he didn't respond.  I crossed the line in 2nd overall in 17:37 (PR).  Here's a photo of the last stretch.  The guy in the background is Clare.  The orange road marker/cone is the start of the finish chute.

I talked to Clare afterwards--pretty cool kid. I asked him why he didn't kick it and he said he was just training and had eaten too much 'grad party food' all day/weekend and was doing as good as he could.  That's fine with me as long as that isn't noted on the results  : )    The winner (Green Silence Guy) ran sub 16 min (15:48 ?) and he wasn't being pushed so he could have probably ran much faster.  I was almost 2 minutes behind him!  Once the final results are posted, I'll revise with his actual name and official times.  An added bonus to taking 2nd overall, was that I scored $75.00 !!  Not many 5k's pay money, but this one went $100, $75, $50 to the top 3 men and top 3 women.


Couple more photo's from last night:

Carin, Sofia



Jace, Mario, Henry Walker

 About Brighter Tomorrows.  From their website, they are an outreach program for Families Touched by Childhood Cancer. They provide emotional, spiritual, and educational support by listening to, understanding, and supporting families touched by childhood cancer.  Founded as a non-profit 501c3 corporation in 2007 by four mothers of children with cancer, determined that no family should have to travel this difficult road alone.

*PR = Personal Record