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POK, I have run one 5k in the Air Force, I think it was in 22:40, and it was around 11 years ago.
Today I participated in a 5 person relay, where we each had to run a 5k. As I was not able to find enough peope for a team, I signed up for a random team in the club, and 10 minutes before start found the 4 other runners. 2 nurses (females) and 2 males, all around 40 y.o.
There were about 250 teams for this 6:30 PM race on a tuesday night, weather was a little drizzle / try. Temperature 11-12C, 95% humidity, perfect running weather, but many people overdressed and had to take clothing off during the run.
The 2 nurses finished each in 25 minutes, the 2 guyes before me in 28 minutes, and 23 minutes (he expected to race 22-23 minutes). My goal before today was 22:30-23:00 as the route was up-up-up form 500 meters to 2 km, and some again from 3.2 - 3.6 km. People in the club said to expect this route to be 1-2 minutes slower than a flat race.
The problem came when I was to take over. Some guy talked to me, and I missed my partner (who I had never met before, apart from the while waiting for our turns) as I had no classes. I think he was having problems being around other people, working in a place for disabled, so I felt I had to stumble after him in the crowd to let him know I had seen him, and then go. Time from when I saw him till I passed the relay line again was 35 secs (runnng on my watch).
Because of this, I really kicked it in the beginning, the first 2-300 meters was in 800 meter pace, and a guy in orange before me was pulling distance, and I gave up on him immidiately. I got in serious oxygen dept, and struggled 2-300 meters to regain full control. I forced my breathing to be like 120% of my step rate. (mentally I was on top). At 700 meters I passed the fast guy in orange (and had already passed a few more), passed 1 km in 4:54 (less 35 secs = 4:20).
At 1.2 km things became a bit steeper, and I just kept passing those runners spaced 50-100 apart in front of me. I could hear the bib number of the orange guy flap in the wind all the way, and knew he was 2 steps behind. The turning point was at 2 km (5:02, so you can see it was going uphill), and the orange guy was still close enough so I could hear him, but not see him. Downhill run, got passed by 3 people within 1 minute, didn't see the 3 km marker, but knew approx where it was. Was in a crisis. HR went down, orange guy passed me, got 40 meters, and I adapted my pace so as to at least not let him get further away.
From 3.7 km it was downhill or flat, and I gained slightly at the orange guy again, exhaling noisily (as I often do when pressed, it is probably a mental thing like the karate shouts etc). Passed 4 km marker 9:51 after the 2 km makrer = 4:55/km, which is BAD as there is much more downhill than uphill. Orange guy has 25 meters by now.
Still 700 meters to go we pass a large group of spectators, which I knew where there, but I didn't see a single face, I am pushing it by now. 20 meters to orange. Downhill 500 meters, I gain on him very very slowly by keeping up pushing myself. I am afraid he has too much left if I get up too early. Timing is what counts. 2 sharp turns and 200 meters to go. I keep the pace, switches to 1+1 breathing for 5 seconds, and then kicks into a higher gear passing orange with 150 meters to go. I can hear he counters, and I up my cadence, ending with a 120-150 meter sprint at full 100-200 meters speed, managing to catch a slow female 10 meters before finishing line.
My watch shows 23:29 and I had the 35 seconds extra, so I probably ran in 22:55, which is within my target range.
My last 1000 meters where done in 3:41. To me this sounds just plain wrong. I can't run that fast. (Average HR 174, max 184 for the last 1 km). 3:41 = 3.7 minutes = 37 min for a 10 km. No way can I run that fast. But I am pretty sure that km marker was placed very close to right. Guess I will have to measure when weather gets better.
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I've seen many relays screw up before and I know where you are coming from. 
