Help me understand race and post race

Morning crowd?

Next time do a short hard run on the friday, 1 day before the race

Thanks!!

Did you warm up properly? When I raced the 5k, I would start my warm up routine 45 minutes before race time. It included a slow jog, running drills, strides. Then I would switch to my racing flats and do more strides until I was doing them faster than race pace. When possible, I would start at the finish line and run the course in reverse for about a quarter of a mile, pick the place that I wanted to start my final kick, and then run back to the finish line at a controlled pace visualizing how strong I felt and how comfortable it was to run so I could recall that same feeling when I reached that point in the race itself. If I wasn't sweating before the start of the race, then I knew I hadn't warmed up enough.

I can't tell you why you felt flat during your race. However, being able to come home and easily run 5.2 miles at roughly 1:50/mile slower than race pace doesn't sound at all surprising. I wouldn't expect a 5K to take that much out of you for very long.

FWIW, I try to jog at least 2 miles before a 5K and ideally more like 3 miles, with at least a minute or two of tempo running about 15 minutes before the start. Also a few strides taking me up to race pace.

If I get less warmup than that, the result is almost always a sub-par race.

And yes, that sort of pre-race run-in to the finish line is a great practice. I'll sometimes warm up by jogging a full mile away from the finish line, then jogging back, noting, for example, where half a mile remains, and a quarter mile. When I reach that point in the race, that landmark or landmarks, I'm able to say, "Only a quarter left to go."

The masters runners I know, including myself, are pretty much wiped out after any race 5k or longer. My old buddies and I did a 10k a week ago and it took all we had to shuffle through a 1.5 mile cooldown. We are all 80-90% age grade runners. None of us could do what you did after a 5k. Did you really leave it all out there during the race?

What time of day were the race and the post-race 5.2-mile run?

What time of day do you typically do your harder runs/workouts?

What time of day do you do other runs?

It may be that the 5.2 mile post-race run was closer to the time you're used to putting in a hard effort? Diet and body prep for that time of day is good with you.

Thanks guys

I’m going to try and implement some of these suggestions

I guess you’re not over 60. A 5k race wipes me out 😓

This here and as far as your time- don't be disappointed. I'm 65 and I notice the slow down happening- I can't avoid it.

After a race last summer I was complaining and this kid (25ish) says- How old are you? I said 64. He said- my father is 64 and he can't even get out of his chair, be proud of yourself.

I don't know why your last race wasn't as fast as the one before and without a lot more detail couldn't even guess. One thing that comes to mind is that maybe the conditions and course for the earlier race were more conducive to faster times than they were for the second one but that's just a guess. In real running life you're not always as "on" for every race.

The second thing here, why could you you do that second run without much difficulty is easy to answer. It was an easy run and well within your capabilities at the time.

race days are often more demanding than people think. you might get up earlier than you normally do on a weekend or even weekday. commute someplace half asleep. park. walk to race site. maybe go by packet pickup on the day. figure out how to pin on a number. get into race clothes, find a place to put belongings. warm up. stand around and wait for the start. run hard in mid-day elements. you may feel stressed and tense.

vs. practice, depending how you do it, you walk out the front door, do some stretches, and off you go. or you go to a track or park, park car, probably start running right there. probably relaxed. you might notice how you're doing or feeling but not a lot is riding on the practice day.

IMO if you want race day more like practice, you need efficiencies. do packet pickup before race day if possible. perhaps stay in a hotel near the start line. have your spouse drive you, park car, watch your stuff. try to narrow it down as much as possible to "show up and run" -- like practice. less work, less running about doing errands.

last, you may be getting tense and that, to me, is a combination of timing your stretching, being in a space where you can get loose before the race as opposed to are boxed all in crowded with people, and perhaps a little meditation at the line. just chill and run. older i got the more i found "smooth is fast." it's counter-intuitive but eyes-bulging, hands-balled intensity makes you tenser and slower. relax, breath, work your pace and to pass people steadily.

I'm pretty sure I could have easily done 5 miles at nearly 2 min/mile slower than race pace following a 5K when I was in my late 50s, although the 5K was slower (23:xx). Everything went south after age 61 and it might be true that a 5K race would wipe me out now.

Timely comment as one of the things I’m working on is to race more relaxed, more free?
Im pretty intense but when I enjoy my runs the most it’s a joyful expression of freedom.