Phil Mitzkavich

Race Notes: Run for Life 5k Kerr Park in Downingtown, PA 5k/USATF Certified Warm up 21 min of jogging, then 6x50yd striders. Finished 47th/500+ and 4th in Men's 45-49. Felt a little stiff at the start but after the first several hundred yds ran comfortably through the mile in 6:15. Towards the end of the 2nd mile a gradual quarter mile upgrade begins. My pace slowed a great deal on this 2nd mile, I just could not hold a strong pace up this grade. Ran a stronger 3rd mile despite two very small upgrades. Managed a slight kick in the last 150 yds. Generally this was a very disappointing race for me. I really thought I would be able to break 20 min for 5k based on my improving splits in recent Interval workouts.

Race Notes: 8am Gettysburg 5k Race 80th/950 8th/72 45-49m 16:00 warm up jog then 6x50m striders. Started faster than I wanted. Hit the mile mark in 6:00. Slowed in the second mile. The biggest is hilll midway as we pass the Peace Light Memorial. 2nd mile split was 12:38 [6:19 pace avg]. The last mile was the slowest with two upgrades [6:49 pace for 1.1miles]. I was unable to hold pace up the 2nd upgrade. After the final turn the course ends with a flat quarter mile to the finish. Pushed hard in this last stretch to the finish but was unable to make up the lost time on the two previous hills. I have a feeling that if this last mile had been flat I would've had a shot at breaking 20:00.

Race Notes: 11:00 AM Reading, PA SBR 10k Series Race#2. First one for me. Good even effort throughout [21:43/21:55], started slower due to crowded start, slowed on each of the 3 small uphills on each 3.1 mile loop, last 5k loop was harder but finished pretty strong on the last flat mile. Good overall effort. 36th of 140, 6th in 45-49. Surprised that on endurance work only I could run 7:02 pace...thought I'd be starting out slower than that.

Race Notes: AM SBR 10k Series Race#3 But only 2nd one for me. 42:32 was a 66 sec improvement over the last race. Ran comforatbly hard but the uphills were not easy to handle and felt like the few upgrades were slowing me down. Surprised that the first 5k loop was this fast, [20:47/21:46] picked up almosts a minute over the first race on that first 5k lap. Tried to concentrate on form and cadence in the second half of the race. I feel like I ran the last mile very well attempting to stay with Doug Arndt who came from behind and past me at about the 4.5 mile point. Good effort, good progress in my endurance fitness at this point.