Ok, I know I stressed waayy too much in preparation for this race. That being said, it WAS the first race of the season AND my first 10k in 7 years, AND I didn't have but two weeks (that's T-W-O W-E-E-K-S) training beforehand. And on top of it all, this is the year I have designated as the Year Of The 10K (last year being the Year Of The 5K, and next year....hopefully....will be the Year Of The Half). So...I think maybe I was entitled to a little stress. Just a little, mind.
My practice runs leading up to the race all felt sluggish, but solid, and I had gone the distance four days before, so I had no doubt that barring some horrible accident or injury, that I would finish. As I'd said before, I wasn't shooting for any amazing time...I just wanted to finish strong, so I'd have a good baseline to measure against come the fall, when I plan to meet my Nemesis Race head-on.
The morning dawned bright and clear...boy, that sounded good. I really wanted that to be the case, but it wasn't. Actually, it was overcast, rainy, and downright chilly with a stiff breeze that went straight through ya. So much for being on the verge of Spring. It was drizzling as we left the house, headed for town, and we had left much later than we had planned, so I made an executive decision to grab an egg mcmuffin for breakfast. Now, I've been eating eggs and grapefruit for breakfast, but if I was gonna go six miles, I was going to need a little more sticky fuel to get me through it, and I knew that an egg mcmuffin would be bland enough to not upset my stomach, or make me nauseous, but give me enough protein and carbs to go the distance. Even though I do my best to avoid fast food like the plague these days, it was a good decision.
Well...except for the 'being so excited I drove right past the Mickey D's' part.
*sigh*
Fortunately, there was another one close by the race, so we managed to snag breakfast in the nick of time, and still got there early enough for a quick warm up. The plus side was that I didn't have to stand out in that ridiculous knife-cutting wind too long before we were able to line up at the start line and get moving.
Keith was my designated picture taker, so he headed down the street a little ways past the start line, and waited patiently (God love him...he was freezing) for the gun to go off so he could snap a few and get back to the car. Funny sideline...as I was standing toward the back of the pack waiting for the start, I noticed a lady standing close to me that looked so familiar to me. Turns out we work together, lol, but neither of us was sure that it was the other. That's what a difference make-up makes.
Anyway...we shivered for a few, and they finally had mercy and started the race. I knew I was probably gonna be in for a hilly ride when the course started climbing straight from the start line. But I had set up my Runkeeper app to run intervals (1:30 run, :45 walk), and I was determined to stick to that as much as I could so I wouldn't burn out too quickly. I've learned the hard way to ignore that adrenaline rush when the gun goes off, but starting toward the back of the pack has helped that a lot. It's much easier to pass a few stragglers as you go than it is to watch the herd thunder past you.
I felt strong, but about a mile in, that hoodie started getting steamy, so I shook it off during one of my walk breaks and tied it around my waist. When the hills started coming fast and hard I would walk up them, and then run the downhills as fast as possible to make up for it. My intervals went out the window about mile 4, but by then it was ok. I had a cadence down, and it was working for me. I felt pretty solid, and the farther I ran, the better I felt. We had been fortunate enough to drive out of the drizzle on the way to the race, and as I progressed, the overcast sky started clearing, and the sun came out and helped to warm things up quite a bit.
I had taken my trusty water bottle with me, as usual.. It's like Linus's security blanket, I never run without one. Trying to chug water at a water station makes me nauseous, I do much better taking little sips along...enough to keep my mouth from being dry, but not enough to make me sick. It's a good thing I did, because even though this was a very well organized race, they only had one water station, and it wasn't until mile 4. I'd have been dead by then if I'd had to depend on it...I'm sure of it.
The hills were brutal between there and mile 5.5. Seems like we were perpetually climbing. But I figured we'd have to come down at some point, so I just kept walking as fast as possible, and when that big hill finally came, I let out all the stops. It felt awesome....just like I was flying!!
Finally....the finish line came in sight. I pushed it hard, knowing Keith was standing there taking pics, and I wanted so badly for him to get one of me where it looks like I'm actually running! (Just about every pic I have I just look like I'm walking really fast, lol. I guess most runners would probably look at my pace sideways and go....ummm..... That's ok, it's running to me.)
I knew by listening to my Runkeeper app calling time and pace that I was in for a PR, but it was still amazing to see that time flash up on the scoreboard as I crossed that line, solid as a rock.
#146
Jill Walker Bib #140 F 52 Elizabethton TN Age Grp 7/8 1:24:38 13:38
Holy cow. I had not just beat my practice run, I had buried it! Granted, it's still way slower than anything I was running back in the fall, and clearly there is much room for improvement here. But I'm still beyond proud that I managed to pull off such a great pace with only two weeks training time, after basically being sidelined for the better part of the last three months.
One of the guys grabbed my bib as I crossed the finish line and ripped it off my shirt....apparently I wasn't supposed to take off the stub that was attached to the bottom, which is what they normally rip off. But it said 'don't pin this part to the shirt', and because I'm used to chip timing, I assumed it meant 'detach this part'. My bad. I still have the stub, but I lost my bib, and I hate that on behalf of my growing collection. Live and learn, I suppose.
Am I glad I ran this race, even as unprepared as I was? You bet I am. Would I do it again? Hmm....hard to say, but right now, I'd have to say that I doubt it. I loved the race, but the time of year is just all wrong for me. This would be an awesome race for me to volunteer in, though, and God willing, that will be my plan next year. I really think every runner should try to give back to the ones who make our fun so possible....and I do my best to thank every volunteer I pass during the race. So...that's my plan right now, but I'm flexible enough to keep my options open if I by chance have a stellar winter next year.
Either way, I have an awesome start to what I think is going to be a great year of running, and I think by the end of the year, I will have made some outstanding progress. Can't wait to see how it all shakes out...hope you stick around for the ride!
