tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968085316200546890.post2046637195153781954..comments2024-01-20T22:39:41.084-05:00Comments on With a little luck (and a lot of hard work...): Northampton 5k raceAlexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03241445781480320172noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4968085316200546890.post-4737399284367406502012-08-30T16:15:31.297-04:002012-08-30T16:15:31.297-04:00When you hit that hill @ mile 2.1, take it easy --...When you hit that hill @ mile 2.1, take it easy -- it's so short that running it fast vs. slow gives you almost no advantage. I consciously slow my breathing and heart rate down while ascending the hill and even bait people to pass me and just let my calves push me up. Once I get about 10' from the top of the hill and I'm feeling relaxed and breathing easy and a few runners have edged passed me, I take off and rocket past them with just about everything that I've got. As soon as you crest the hill there's a small downhill and I hit that hard -- It gives me both a huge mental boost and a lot of momentum coming off that hill. Also, I don't burn out on the hill because there's another small -- but annoying -- hill coming up in about 0.5 and that's where I put the hammer down and round up the last few stragglers who wasted all their energy on the big hill. <br /><br />I love that course, especially since there's a good hill in mile one but mile two is basically easy and downhill & good to run steady. It's great to stragegize there. Lots of turns, hills and bad footing sometimes & good to save a little gas in the tank (it's easy to go out too hard there) because the last mile is the most fun of all. Great course, great community, I'll be bummin when the races end in late September.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com