January 22, 2022: Jerome Scales 5K

This year was the third running of the Jerome Scales race. In January 2020, the extremely hilly Southside 12K route was renamed in "Big Rome" Jerome's honor; in January 2021, the race was moved to a state park in west Georgia and shortened to a 10K distance. This year the race returned to its roots in the city of South Fulton, but on a different route, starting and finishing at Westlake High School. Although this year's distance was only a 5K, it was apparent from a pre-race warmup that the Atlanta Track Club was providing us with a liberal dose of hills. I haven't done much hill work in months, focusing on flat routes to prepare for the Chicago Marathon, and then taking it easy as I've recovered from whatever has caused pains in both asses. 

The weather was cold this morning, 30 degrees F at the start, but fortunately the route was dry so there was no ice. The number of runners was smaller this year. Whether was due to the latest COVID surge, the hills, or the cold weather was unclear, but as usual, we enjoyed a well-run event on a well-protected course. The mile warmup had helped unstiffen my muscles, but having had a good look at a couple of the hills, my goal was simply to run a consistent pace from start to finish, and have fun doing it. Although I typically start with wave B, I decided to line up behind the wave C sign, to help with a cautious start, and hopefully enjoy passing some people as the race progressed. 

Not gonna be a hero today

Too fast for me today

Just right

Wave A began at 8:00 am on the dot. To the amusement of the race DJ, it appeared that most of the wave B runners followed wave A without bothering to wait. A dozen or so runners in wave B stopped before crossing the starting mat, and jogged back to join us in wave C. Fortunately the DJ did not make us wait too long, as I kept marching in place and keeping my legs fresh with butt kicks. At 8:03, our airhorn sounded, I started my watch, and crossed the starting line a couple of seconds later. Our wave spread out pretty quickly. After a short level stretch (map claimed it was downhill), we climbed up a long hill for the first quarter mile, 60 feet in elevation. I just shortened my stride and increased my cadence, but reached the top at just under a 10 min / mile pace. Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah was cheering as we reached the top at the intersection with Union Road, promising that the rest was downhill. Technically that wasn't true, plenty more hills to come, but I suppose he was truthful if he meant "net downhill". I did have a chance to recover gliding gently downhill on Union Road. That was a 60 foot drop, tried not to focus on the fact that we would return in the opposite direction, but just focused on Jerome's mantra "One Mile At A Time". The good news is that I felt good, nothing hurt other than the cold air on my face. I was running a pretty steady 9:20 min / mile pace. 

This was the first hill, photo taken during pre-race warmup

As we approached a traffic circle, the lead runner passed me at 6:30 elapsed (probably 9:30 for him). I wasn't sure if he had already finished two miles; turns out he had not. There was no doubt that he had violated the 10 mph speed limit posted in the neighborhood, yet the police motorcycle was in front and showing no interest in pulling him over, LOL. Making the right turn, the route went downhill on Bunting Lane for another 20 feet, but without leveling out immediately began to rise again, gaining 50 feet by the time we reached the 1-mile marker. I just kept my cadence high by shortening my stride, and distracted myself by looking for speedsters that I knew in the lead wave: Rebecca Entrekin, Tommy Daniels, Sam Benedict, Bryan Greenberg. Mile 1 done in 9:19. I was pleased with that first mile, especially with the hills. Turning onto Jacaner Lane, I tapped the accelerator just a bit, planning to run mile 2 just a bit faster, but to be honest I mostly benefited by the gravity assist, 30 feet downhill to the end of the cul-de-sac. 

Now for the return: uphill 30 feet, short quick steps, spotting Tes Marshall and Dung Nguyen not too far behind. Then a right turn, with the water station ahead. I had hydrated pretty well the day before so I decided that I could safely skip the water station, although waved when I heard Jennifer Akor cheering me from the water station. I was enjoying the 50 foot downhill stretch, then 20 feet uphill to the traffic circle. I hadn't realized this on the way out, but that was the entrance to a golf club. A trio of women slowed down in the traffic circle, I successfully avoided getting tangled up with them as I passed through them. 

For the most part, I was running at the same pace as most other runners, but occasionally passed someone who needed to slow down going uphill, or wasn't able to pick up the pace going downhill. When I checked my Garmin stats afterwards, I ran most of the race at a consistent pace whether I was going uphill or downhill, which I was pleased to discover. On Union Road, I could see a speed detection sign: 6 mph, which is a 10 min / mile pace. Was it detecting the group of runners, or individuals? I'm not sure how sensitive the detector is to a single person vs. an automobile, but I would like to think that when the number showed 7 mph. Was that me, at an 8:30 min / mile pace? We were on the 60 feet uphill stretch, so I don't think so. But when the sign flashed 5 mph, that definitely wasn't me (12 min / mile pace). To make sure, I picked up my pace, and passed a couple of people. The mile 2 marker was ahead: 9:06, 18:25 elapsed. I was very pleased to have sped up a bit. 

Now for mile 3: sometimes I'll think "hammer time" at the 2 mile marker, but I knew that there were more hills ahead, so I just kept the steady pace. Despite the cold weather, I was sweating a little bit, and my heart rate was in the 160s. Could I keep this up for the remaining 1.1 miles? The volunteers called out that there was a turn ahead. It was tempting to think about just running straight on Union Road, but I wasn't planning on being the next featured cheater in "Marathon Investigation" so I dutifully made the right turn onto Branchview Drive. I paid for a 5K, I'm running a 5K. Wait: this was a free race for Atlanta Track Club members! Never mind, I was running downhill, another 60 foot drop, so that was motivation to follow the route. I could hear the announcer's voice at the finish line which was one street over, just 500 feet or so, although I couldn't make out what he was saying. We actually did level out approaching the cul-de-sac on this street, so enjoyed the minute or two of level running, while hearing the fast-moving traffic on Camp Creek Parkway. Then it was time to run uphill to get back to Union Road. 

This time I felt the steepness of the hill. My legs were slowing down, down, down. Finally I gave in to a walk break, at the 25:00 minute mark. When I was stronger, just a couple of years ago, sub-25 minutes was my goal time. Today I still had a few minutes to go before I would reach the finish line. Fortunately I knew that it wasn't too far away, as I had run down and back up this street at a very easy pace during my pre-race warmup. Counting to 30 seconds, I started running again. The walk break was just enough of a rest to allow me to return to my goal speed, as I turned right onto Union Road. Unfortunately my watch was reading 9:30 min / mile pace for the current mile, definitely wanted to drive that number back down! (The danger of a Garmin watch on a slightly obsessive-compulsive person). 

Doesn't look that forbidding in this photo, but this was the hill that slowed me to a walk

Approaching the turn to the last stretch of the race, Rich Kenah was cheering "Downhill all the way to the finish!" Tim Parker was sitting on the tailgate of the cone truck, to pick up cones behind the last runner on Union Road. Turning right, we passed the baseball field for the school, then the road seriously took a downhill pitch. I didn't feel that I could safely extend my stride, so I was slightly braking with my toes crunched up against the front of my shoes. A young man flew past me on the way downhill. Nonetheless I also began to pick up some speed. My watch recorded 3 miles before I reached the mile 3 marker: 9:21, which was 27:45 elapsed. But in the moment, I wasn't paying attention to my watch: the man that had passed me earlier wasn't extending the gap, and with a less extreme downhill grade, I was able to safely accelerate. 

Looking down the steep downhill to the finish

That sign reads "Hammer Time!"

As we passed the 3-mile marker, I began to think that I might just catch up to him. With every step I became more confident that I could catch him, but was also aware that he might just kick into the finish if he thought he was about to me passed by this grandmaster runner. I waited until the finish line was in sight, then I gave a strong kick of my own, one that he was unlikely to match if he didn't begin to speed up until after I had passed. And as I passed strongly, I just kept moving as fast as possible, not daring to slow down for anything until after both feet had crossed the timing mat. Mission accomplished! 28:46 on my watch, official chip time was 28:39. Not anywhere close to 25 minutes, but it was a true measure of what I can currently run, a good starting point for a 5K training program.  

I ran a steady pace up and down the hills for 24-1/2 minutes.
I began to seriously slow down before I took the walk break at 25 minutes.
But I recovered nicely for a fast finish. 

I didn't realize that I spent that much time in the red zone today!
I guess the cold temperature allowed me to push my limits.