Sheri and I ran the Waneka 5K in Lafayette this past Saturday. It was a beautiful, warm day. At the 9 a.m. start time it was hotter than I prefer, but it made for beautiful spectating. The course was changed for this year to avoid running on South Boulder Road. The first two miles weave around in the neighborhood near the lake, and the final mile is on a crushed gravel trail that leads up to and around the lake. This last mile is very scenic for a road race. The race is impeccably organized with lots of volunteers, tons of food, a great park with a lake, lots of shade, an elaborate playground for kids, and a band that plays before and after the race. This ranks right up with the Bolder Boulder as my favorite race of the year. Coming the weekend before the Bolder, this provides me with a good test of where I'm at and I use this race to set my pacing for the Bolder.

My Mom came up to watch the boys during the race and all of us went over to the race. I played with Daniel and Derek on the playground before Sheri and I needed to warm-up. Mom, Daniel, and Derek were cheering us on at the start, finish, and at the 1.25 mile point where we looped back to the starting line.

Sheri has been nursing a calf injury and hasn't tested herself in a race since the April 17th Storage Tech 10K Time Trial where she injured herself at the four mile mark and had to drop out. Hence, Sheri wasn't very confident and assumed that I beat her easily. I knew this wouldn't be the case. I was shooting for a 6:20 pace and around 19:30. Sheri was shooting for a 6:30 pace and around 20 minutes. There were a number of Storage Tech runners at this race and, in fact, Sheri was running as a member of their team. Janet, of Storage Tech, was there also and very fit. She was shooting for 6:20/mile also. Sheri had out-kicked Janet at this very race last year.

When the gun went off I started conservatively and tried to stay behind Sheri, but she opened up an early gap. Janet went out even faster and led the way. I'm in the habit of running negative splits lately so I wasn't too alarmed to go through the first mile in 6:30. Sheri went through in 6:26 and she was already ahead of Janet. They were currently the 3rd and 4th place women. Laura Bruess was leading the race and would eventually win.

The first mile has a hill, as does the third mile. The second mile is the fast mile and, knowing this, Sheri pressed. She ran a 6:20 second mile to my 6:23. I was falling further back, but it was time to make my move - only a mile to go. During the second mile, Sheri caught and passed the second place woman who, after going out very fast with Laura, was now paying the price. Janet would also pass her before the end of the race.

The third mile starts with a tough hill up to the lake. I gained ground on Sheri here. Once we leveled out to the path around the lake, I set my sights on Janet. I passed her and locked on Sheri. There is a another short hill on the east side of the lake and I pressed here, closing to within a few seconds. With about a half mile to go, I got and passed Sheri. I went by strong and opened up a 20-30 foot lead. I now concentrated on two guys up ahead. Once by them and nearing the 3 mile mark, I heard Sheri close strongly on me and pull up right behind me. For a moment I thought she was going by and I moved out from behind the guy in front of me so that I wouldn't get boxed in. There is a final very short hill before the three mile mark. In the warm-ups, I told Sheri to hold the kick until she was up this hill. Now I was running scared and started my kick at the bottom of the hill. Once on top I opened it up further, but the pain was too much. I wanted to back off. I risked a glance over my shoulder and saw Sheri, but she wasn't closing. I held the pace and checked again. If I had to go to another gear, I'd puke. I didn't want that.

I went through the 3 mile mark at 19:30. Damn! I was supposed to be done by then. It would take a sub-5 minute/mile pace to break 20 minutes and I didn't have it. I finished in 20:05 with Sheri right behind me in 20:08. Sheri finished as second woman and her friend Janet was 3rd. This was the second 5K that Sheri has finished second to Laura this year. Sheri wasn't that thrilled with the time, but was quite pleased with the second place finish and, probably most important, that the calf held up fine and didn't bother her.

Sheri and I have run three 5K's together this year. Sheri won the first by 24 seconds. I've won the last two, but by a combined time of only 6 seconds. The Bolder Boulder will likely be our last race together this year. After the Bolder I'll turn to long and slow runs as I prepare for the Pikes Peak Marathon while Sheri turns to the short and fast in her quest to break the 5 minute mile.

Bill
Race Correspondent