My friend, Bruce, is encouraging me to try once again to break 30 minutes in a 5K. It would be nice to meet that goal before winter comes since I'm so close to it. There is a 5K on Saturday, October 20, 2008 in Murray, Utah at Wheeler Farms. It is described as a flat, fast course on cinders. It starts at 8:30 am, so the temperature will be in the high 30s or low 40s (F). That sounds like a nice race to run. That is two days before my birthday, and breaking 30 minutes would be a nice birthday present to give myself.
Another thing I'm considering is to use my GPS to measure my own 3.1 course on the Jordan River Parkway and to run an unofficial 5K race. The advantage of this latter option is that I could choose my own date/time for the "race", thus insuring that I have a high energy level when I run it. I don't need to make a decision for a couple of weeks, so I'll see how my recovery goes.
Flat course on cinders = FAST!
ReplyDeleteBruce, are cinders faster than asphalt or concrete?
ReplyDeletevnadxThe harder the surface the faster the course.
ReplyDeleteCinders are softer in density and has more "gripping", therefore cinders are not as fast as asphalt and/or concrete, BUT cinders have more gripping that'll give your feet a stronger push-off from the toes. A stronger push-off would be more of a benefit to sprinters than us long distance runners who tend to have a more shuffling, low to the ground, stride.
Of course, concrete is much harder and most likely to cause injuries. Read somewhere about the hammer test. Strike a hammer on concrete, than strike it on asphalt, much different feeling in your hands and arms due to the density...asphalt you'll feel less pain, than that of concrete.