April 19, 2009 A different kind of 5K set for Tuesday For those runners that are looking for something a little different in a run, the San Marcos Runners Club is having their April meeting by hosting a “Predicted Time 5K Run.” The race will be on Tuesday evening, April 21 at 6:00 p.m. out at the River Ridge Business Park course. While it is a club meeting, the run is open to the public, and everyone is welcome to give the run a try. There is no entry fee for the run; and if you have not tried a run like this, it is a lot of fun. Everyone has a chance at winning, as it is not necessarily the runner that comes across the finish in first place who wins. A predicted time run has each entrant writing down the time in which they will run the 5K distance on a time sheet before the race. Every runner must then take off their stopwatch and run the course. The runner that comes closest to the time that they wrote down before the race is the winner and will receive a nice prize. Every runner has a chance to win, as the runner that knows how fast they run - whether it is fast or slow - and runs closest to their predicted time is the winner. To win, a runner must know their pace, and calculate that pace into the time needed to run 3.1 miles. If the runner has entered a 5K run before and can remember their time, that will be a start at determining what their finish time might be. If not, then practicing with a known distance and time will help determine their time. The easiest way that I have found for learning a pace is to find a 440-yard or 400-meter track. Usually a football field has a quarter-mile track around it and is a great place to start. Start at the 50-yard mark, or midfield, and run to the goal posts at one end and look at the time; then check again at the opposite 50-yard mark, and once again at the goal posts at the other end of the field. When you reach the starting point, stop your stopwatch, and take that time and multiply it by four to arrive at your mile time. The reason for the four checks around the track is to learn to run a steady pace. If you run a fast first mile, level off in the second mile and struggle home in the third mile, it is very hard to predict an accurate time. With knowing the pace that you can run easily for 3 miles, you have a good chance of predicting your finish time. By checking every 110 yards of a run and keeping them all at the same time, or within a couple of seconds of each one, it is easy to set a steady pace. You might have to run several laps to really get a feel for the pace you want to run. Once you get a comfortable pace and each lap around the track is within a few seconds of each other, you will be ready for a predicted time run. Remember on April 25 there are several races for local and area runners to take advantage of. In San Marcos there are two races that morning. The first is the Race For Relief 5K out at River Ridge Business Park. Registration is at 7:00 a.m. and the race starts at 8:00 a.m. The entry cost is $20 before the race and $25 on the day of the race, and each entrant will receive a race T-shirt. The proceeds benefit children in Africa. The second run in the city is the Wonder Run 5K with a family run and a couple of kids’ trot runs. The 5K run is held out at Wonderland School in Country Estates off Ranch Road 12. Registration is at 8:00 a.m. and the run starts at 9:00 a.m. Cost is $20 before the race and $25 day of race. The other family and kids’ runs will be held after the 5K run. It is an out-and-back course with a few hills, but mostly a flat course. Runners will receive a T-shirt, and there are awards for overall winners and age group winners for three deep. Proceeds will go toward education needs at Wonderland School. If you run a good time at the Race For Relief 5K, you might still have time to run the Wonder Run 5K also. If you are going to try to run both races that morning, I suggest early registration so you do not waste time registering as the race is starting. The San Marcos Runners Club web site has registration and event information if you want to find out more. Other runs that day include the Wimberley 4-Mile Run and the Texas Round Up 10K/5K in Austin. Dr. Maurice Johnson - better known around San Marcos as “Moe” - is a professor in the Department of Health, P.E., Recreation and Dance at Texas State University - San Marcos. Moe has been a fixture in the San Marcos running community - both as a runner and race organizer - since way back when Moby Dick was a minnow. His column on running and fitness appears each Sunday in the Sports section of the San Marcos Daily Record. • Recent “Running With Moe” Columns • Home • About the Club • Current News • Club Runs • Places To Run • TX Running Clubs • Running Links • Useful Stuff Upcoming Races • Race Results • Country Roads 10K & Kids Run • ARA-Moe’s Better Half Marathon • “Running With Moe” Contact Us!