5K run - 4 Seasons Run4 Cancer 14th St Atlanta

I did the Run4 Cancer 5K this morning exactly as planned.

Blue skies, temperatures in the low 60's - perfect for running.

I set my brain to not be competitive and just trot around, stop and walk if the knees hurt and that is what I did. Apart from not stopping to walk. I did it in 34 minutes. Really slow but the first 5K in 2 years.

Two years ago I ran hard in a Sandy Springs 5K to finish in 24 minutes. The motivation that day was to get a good enough time to qualify for time group 1b in the Peachtree 10K (run on 4th July every year). 

This year, somewhere in the third mile I felt myself tilting forward and had to remind myself that all that core strengthening was meant to keep me upright and running with good form. 

When a runner starts to weaken and bend forward the brain is trying to ease postural muscles that are tiring (or maybe totally done for) and changing the posture in order to bring different muscles into action. However running efficiency then goes down sharply for two main reasons:

1. The heels start striking the ground harder and earlier and now at each footfall progresion is being slowed rather than assisted by each quick tap on the ground with a light foot.
2. Breathing becomes harder and the lungs do not fill as easily so that the legs muscles are not getting as much oxygen as earlier in the run.

Put the two together and a good time is out of the question.

Today I reminded myself to get back upright into an efficient running posture and was able to enjoy the rest of the run.

The presentation ceremony was much more exciting than usual because of the excellent give away prizes (probably the best of any run in the whole USA). Lots of stays at 4 Seasons with airfair from Delta thrown in.

The best draw prize; 3 nights in the 4 Seasons in Nevis in the West Indies with 2 business class tickets on Delta. 

Rabobank have been a sponsor of this event since its inception. The Rabobank executive acting as master of ceremonies mentioned in passing that Rabobank is the 4th strongest bank in the world and the only privately owned maximum strength bank in the world. Amazing what can be picked up just sitting in a parking lot, resting tired legs, getting some sun and hoping that a wonderful draw prize will come in my direction.