McKirdy Mile #4

All good things must come to an end! After three one mile McKirdy Mile races, yesterday marked the fourth and final mile of the series. 

Pre-Race:

I woke up at about 7:00 am on Saturday and went for a slow one mile shakeout run around Welles Park. The temps were in the 70's and I was somewhat loose. I had run a few extra miles the week before and was feeling them a little in my muscles. I didn't think I would be able to best my best McKirdy mile which was a 5:36 for race #1. I just hadn't improved my fitness over the last few weeks enough to run an earth shattering time.

Once again, I sat around the house and read and relaxed until noon. I put on my singlet and ran over to Horner Park. As per the last race, I timed the traffic lights - trying to get a full quarter mile in of running, before I actually got into Horner Park itself. 

I saw the lights turn red, jogged back to my starting point along Manor Ave (out of eyesight of the traffic lights).

Starting point for McKirdy #4.

This time starting north and heading south

After 45 seconds of jogging in the opposite direction I turned around, started my Garmin and I was off!

The Race:

Mile 0.25:  I wasn't holding back, but I wasn't flooring it. Since I'd done this three times before, I tried just to run a pace I knew I could hold for the remainder. I came up on the intersection at California and Montrose, the light was red, but would change at any time. Luckily it did (at the last moment) but there was still a car in the intersection waiting to turn left, would they wait for me to cross? No! The car floored it right in front of me, causing me to stop dead in my tracks! They quickly got out of the way, but it was disappointing that I had to stop, however briefly. 1:28 (5:51/mile pace).

Mile 0.50: Got to the quarter mile point just after entering the Horner Park portion of the race. 1:26 (5:45/mile pace).

Mile 0.75: Crossing the halfway point, I was winded but not too much. This is the portion of the race where my biggest concern is what to do if I can't make the light ahead. Do I turn left and go uphill along Horner Park or take a right and have to cross eight intersections, but keep it flat? The pedestrian light at the intersection of Irving Park Rd and California Avenue was red as I approached. Would I make it in time for it to turn green? 1:27 (5:50/mile pace).

My McKirdy Mile #4

Mile 1.0: Yes! The traffic light turned green just in time, so I would be able to keep running straight without turns! I crossed the road and up ahead I saw a jogger about 100 meters away. He was too far away to catch in such a short distance, but he was a good marker of my progress as I closed the gap between us. I started to floor it and was gaining. With about 50 meters left in the race, he suddenly stopped and started walking. This may have caused me to subtly slow as well. I should have striven to keep pushing it until my watch beeped, but I was pretty much out of gas anyway. It seemed like 10 seconds of deceleration before my watch mercifully beeped and I was done! 1:26 (5:43/mile).

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 5:47

Official Pace: 5:47/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:47/mile
1/2 mile splits: 2:54 and 2:53

Place AG: 9th out of 29 (as of Monday morning)

Post Race

Analysis:

For the first time my first quarter mile wasn't my fastest. In fact it was my slowest. Maybe having a car stop me in my tracks was the reason, but it got me to slow down nevertheless! My splits were all within two seconds of each other, so for all intents and purposes they were even splits. Maybe after four races, I'm finally getting the feel of what my mile pace is? The strategy I had during the final section - where I was focused on "catching" the jogger in front of me - didn't pan out as he slowed to a walk. I didn't determine the wind direction beforehand and I think I may have been running into the wind, instead of with it.

Well, that's a wrap. My four mile times were all within nine seconds of each other, and it would appear my fitness is plateauing at the moment. I was probably in better shape in early May than I am now. In May, I still had residual upper body strength from working out in February and March which could be a bigger factor in shorter distance races (more powerful arm swings).

I'm sad it's over, but after four very similar races (in venue and final time), it is probably time to move onto another distance.

McKirdy Mile Race Pace Comparison: "Living life a quarter mile at a time"
Quarter Mile	Race #1 5/2/20	Race #2  5/19/20	Race #3 6/06/20	Race #4 6/27/20
1	1:19	1:22	1:25	1:28
2	1:24	1:26	1:27	1:26
3	1:28	1:26	1:30	1:27
4	1:25	1:25	1:25	1:26
Total	5:36	5:39	5:47	5:47

                                                                 

Post Race:

Jogged home. 

Next Up:

Maybe a 4th of July virtual race!

McKirdy Mile #2

Two weeks ago, I ran the first McKirdy Mile (of four) in and around Horner Park in 5:36. In that attempt, I went out way too fast in the first quarter mile (5:15 mile pace) and paid for it on the next three as I had so slow down (5:43 average mile pace).

In the ensuing two weeks, I really didn't up my training load, but since I went out too fast last time, I thought with a slower first quarter mile and gradually increasing my speed thereafter, I should be able to run a few seconds faster using strategy alone.

Pre-Race:

I've decided to try and race on Saturday using Sunday as a backup. Probably a good thing to do going forward, since that way I leave myself a spare day if I'm not feeling it or the weather is bad. It's also nice having a backup day in case something comes up unexpectedly on Saturday. If I wait until Sunday and something comes up unexpectedly on Sunday then I'm out of luck.

Anyway, the weather was good on Saturday with temps around 65. When I woke up, I did a two miler really slowly to loosen up/shakeout. Then I rested for a few hours and at around 11:30am jogged over to Horner Park for race #2. Initially, I was going to run from south to north along Horner Park's western edge on the sidwalk along North California Avenue. I was timing the lights at Irving Park Rd and California Ave. (so I could hit the intersection when it turned green), when I suddenly noticed that there was a slight wind coming out of the north. It wasn't a strong wind, but it was enough for me to question why I wouldn't want to have that wind as a tailwind instead of a headwind. So, I walked a mile north so I could run with the breeze to my back. 

After a 15 minute walk along Horner Park and across Montrose Avenue, I arrived at a spot just far enough away that I was able to see the traffic lights at Montrose and California. That way I could time out my start, so that when I ran up to the intersection the lights would be green.

Starting point for McKirdy #2.
This time starting north and heading south

I rested a bit, and let the lights cycle a couple more times and when the lights turned red, I took off!

The Race:

Mile 0.25:  I started out quickly (once again) and glancing down at my watch I once again saw a 5:05 pace. I knew that I needed to slow, and I did a better job at doing this than last time. I crossed Montrose Avenue, just as the light turned green (i.e. perfectly) and was now running along Horner Park. I felt good and felt good about how much I had slowed down. Looks like I'm getting better at pacing, but not perfect as this was my fastest quarter. 1:22 (5:15/mile pace).

Mile 0.50: Suddenly I felt a pain in my right hamstring. I was wearing racing flats which I never run in except to race. I guess somehow I overstretched my hammy by my sudden and quick start in "new" shoes, I slowed down so I could get a sense of just how bad of shape my leg was. 1:26 (5:36/mile pace).

Mile 0.75: I figured I was already halfway through and though my right leg felt uncomfortable, I sensed it wasn't a bad injury so I just kept hauling. The pedestrian light at the intersection of Irving Park Rd and California Avenue was counting down 15, 14, 13, 12... as I approached. Would I make it in time? 1:26 (5:52/mile pace).

My McKirdy Mile #2

Mile 1.0: As the traffic light flashed 5, 4, 3..., I burst across the street and made it to the other side of Irving Park Road with no time to spare. This surge may have taken a little out of me and I still had a quarter mile to go. There were a couple of people ahead of me so I dropped down off of the sidewalk and onto California Ave hugging the shoulder. A final burst of speed and I was done! 1:25 (5:43/mile).

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 5:39

Official Pace: 5:39/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:39/mile
1/2 mile splits: 2:48 and 2:51

Place AG: 8th out of 41 (as of Sunday night)

Relaxing Post Race

Analysis:

Although I was three seconds slower than two weeks ago, my splits were more even. Instead of a nine second swing between my fastest and slowest quarter, this time it was only four seconds. I had a three second positive split this time, vs. a 10 second positive split for Mckirdy #1. Who knows why I was slower for this race, although a lot of it may have been being slightly hobbled mentally by pulling the hammy mid-race and perhaps I subconsciously leaned towards preservation rather than extending myself. As for strategy, my first quarter was still my fastest, when it should have been my slowest. Maybe a slower start will also help keep my legs healthy for the entire race? Oh well, I have two more chances to get it right. Think negative splits for #3!

McKirdy Mile Race Pace Comparison "Living life a quarter mile at a time"
Quarter Mile	Race #1 5/2/20	Race #2  5/19/20	Race #3 6/6/20	Race #4 6/27/20
1	1:19	1:22	*	*
2	1:24	1:26	*	*
3	1:28	1:26	*	*
4	1:25	1:25	*	*
Total	5:36	5:39	*	*

                                                                 *TBD

Post Race:

Again, it's virtual race so just a walk home. Womp!

Next Up:

McKirdy Mile #3 on 5/3