Race: Confederation Park 5k
Date: May 7, 2011.
Part of the Subaru Race Series: http://www.instride.ca
A month after my solid but unspectacular result in the Jordan 5k came the redo.
I had entered the Confederation Park 5k for the first time in 2009, finally polishing off a dusty old 19:02 PB to a bright new 18:16. A memorable occasion made more memorable because when the prizes were presented I was on the outside looking in. But that is what happens when you are only fifth for age. Such tough competition is not easily forgotten, and I was expecting more of the same for 2011. I had also not scored a prize this year from the Jordan 5k and expected to be up against many good runners returning from that strong field.
The Confederation Park 5k is almost as flat at the Jordan 5k. The main difference is a slight rise between the 3k and 4k markers. So with a month of training between the races, I expected everyone to be just a bit sharper and times to be just as good, if not better. Quickly to the details. Out of the top 60 finishers at Confederation Park, 32 also ran the Jordan 5k, and the results were split down the middle: 15 ran better, 2 the same, and 15 slower. So yes, the times were just as good, but there were also a few things better.
Last year 37 entrants broke into the sub-20 club – this year that number improved to 60. Not many races can claim this, a true indication of a quality field. And it confirms my suspicions, that the GTA running establishment is indeed getting faster. The icing on the cake is the top three finishers all broke 15 minutes. Josephat Ongeri winning but not threatening his course record, David Karanja showing he is back in shape, and Chris Winter – yet another fantastic runner from Speed River but claims he is not in good shape – placing third. Sheesh.
And the women held up their end of the bargain too: The women’s side was taken by Lucy Njeri in 16:57, some 30 seconds faster than her time last year: this year and last likely women’s course records. The Instride website still lists Josiane Abuongo as holding the course record (17:35) but that is likely old news in need of update. It is my personal goal to break 17 for 5k this year. Clearly I will need to be hot on Lucy’s heels to see that happen.
I ran just six seconds faster than a month ago and was truly hoping for better. But as luck would have it all the other old guys decided to sleep in, handing me a first age prize. To David Brooks, Steve Boyd and Mike Sherar, I say thanks and sweet dreams to you! Wherever you chose to race this weekend (or not), I am just happy it wasn’t this race. Now if someone could just hide Jose Fuentes’ alarm clock, I would be set. Jose tried on his own to hand over top masters prize to the next guy, forgetting to pin on his bib which also had the timing chip attached. Alas that didn’t matter – the race timer still managed to catch Jose’s time, bib or not. Then the race director accepted the time and awarded the prize. The Subaru race organization takes care of you, and none do it better.
At the awards presentation, I stood near the back of the crowd with Chris Winter. He is in his late 20’s and I am 46. When the 50 year old female age category winner was announced, I asked Chris: “Damn, does she look hot to you?” (And I don’t mean sweaty.) Chris, although much younger than I, confirmed my observation. Yet something was amiss. After the awards she approached race director Jerry Friesen to discuss something, likely to confess her true age. Early thirty’s perhaps? However, she was not handing back her prize so that was not it. I tried to convince Chris to approach her. He knew such an inquiry could not possibly end well for him and wisely declined. But the results are final and Mary Nash is the age winner. Do we need any more proof that running keeps you young? You keep going, girl!
The Peach Bud is the next race in the Subaru series: Tuesday evening of June 28. The same cast of speedsters will no doubt gather in the setting sun. Does road racing get any better than this? We shall see.
