On the last day of the year for 2021, I still hadn’t run a sub 5 mile all year, putting my 14 year streak in jeopardy.

So Vince and I met at the Temple Track yesterday at 8am. I estimated in a real race, all-out, I’d run around 4:50. Vince, a former 3:48 1500m guy, guessed 4:45 for himself, but I think he was just saying that to make me feel better.

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The Plan

~2:25 for 800 alternating pacing. That gave us wiggle room to run fast if we we’re feeling good, but not too fast in case 4:59 was my max.

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The Race

Lap One (409): 73 – Vince paced this. It felt EASY. Am I actually in 4:45 shape?

Lap Two: 2:27 – I took over pace on this one and clearly it was catching up with me. Maybe 4:50 is harder than I thought… And I really had to pee.

Lap Three: 3:43 – Vince took this and it was here that I was starting to question if I could hold on. This would be a catastrophic failure if I faded.

Finish: 4:58.x – With 400 left and Vince pacing / encouraging me, I was confident I would make it, but it was going to be harder than I thought. With 200 left I was in hang on mode, though still pretty sure I was going to get there. Crossed in 4:58 with Vince a second or two ahead.

It’s remarkable how close it was. If Vince wasn’t there I honestly don’t think I could have run it alone. It would’ve been 100% all out if so. It also makes me think to take the under on when the streak will end (I set it at another 9 years).

Until next year! I was thinking of time trialing another mile today in 4:59 just to get 2022 out of the way.