Well that was encouraging but frustrating.
We had the US masters 5K xc champs here in Boulder last weekend, but I came down with a cold the week before and was not yet recovered by Saturday. I ran anyway and although I had been in podium shape (or at least that's what I felt) going in I couldn't hold onto a conservative race pace and faded from 4th to 6th over the last 1200 m, losing 5th over the last 400. HR at 97% over last 2 miles even though my pace was only at threshold level. However, we did win as a team, with 2nd, 3rd, and 6th so that was good.
Yesterday finally broke through the crud and did 10.8 miles with 3X 1 mile at 10K effort 6:12 (80% max HR), which is about of fitness where I was before I got the bug. Still hacking a little and clearing my throat a lot but feel back to normal fitness-wise.