pace = 8:16
placed 1 in my age group (50-59) out of 42
placed 7 in women out of 236
placed 32 overall out of 348
link to strava data
placed 1 in my age group (50-59) out of 42
placed 7 in women out of 236
placed 32 overall out of 348
link to strava data
the last time i ran this race was back in 2016, the race was much larger (1369 participants), and i ran it marginally faster.
picked my packet up yesterday at PRO and that was easy peasy lemon squeezy... in and out and well organized.
race day was just as seamless.
no corrals this time likely because there weren't enough people to need them. i signed up for this race on a whim. i am FINALLY running consistently after years of injuries and life changes, and i'm feeling pretty good. my brother was supposed to come with my nephew to cheer me on and go to brunch afterwards, but he wasn't feeling good and bowed out at the last minute. i arrived about 30 minutes before race start. didn't seem like there were a lot of people there, and several were arriving at the same time as me. got a good parking spot right by the kites again and headed to the bathrooms. no lines for me and i ran into celeste (incidentally, my yoga instructor), who signed up after i posted it on instagram a bit ago. she, in turn, spread the word and got a group of people together to run it. i got to meet her friends and hang out with them all before and after the race which was really nice. we got pictures, had hugs, and generally hyped each other up for a job well done.
the course was the same as in 2016 (link to that race report). just more potholes and uneven footing, as the trail could maybe use some repairing. i started out near the front because, for some reason, i always think it's better to have people passing me than to have to pass myself. this consistently proves to be a mistake. i ALWAYS take off too fast and then sometimes putter out as the race goes on. today was all of that and a bag of chips. positive splits are not awesome, and they are what i had going on for sure. i didn't know this during the race because i do not look at my watch/splits as i'm racing. i wait to be surprised at the end.
ran that first mile in 8:15, slowed down in mile two (while i chided myself in my head... yelling at myself "DON'T YOU DARE WALK! DON'T YOU DARE WALK!" over and over until i got through that mile). clocked mile two at 8:31.
the course was short according to my watch and the watches of others in the group. my watch said the total was 3:04 instead of 3:10. not a big difference, but short nonetheless. mile three was 8:37. nice and fast overall compared to what i have been doing for this distance. just disappointed in myself for going out too fast and effectively thwarting a negative split.
i was struggling the whole time, but i managed to do some semblance of a sprint for the final stretch. well, it FELT like a sprint, but it probably wasn't much of one. i didn't push hard enough to cry this time. i suppose i'm not exactly in that mindset anymore, i am older but not quite wiser given that i still have no idea how to effectively pace myself.
the race was fun. the shirt is again a nice cotton long sleeve (the small is too big for me, but it is what it is), the medal is nice and doubles as a bottle opener, and they had a well-supported finish with water and bananas. a ticket for custard, a bloody mary at a brunch spot, and a coupon for another custard at a later date.
all in all, it's a nice flat, easy course. today had barely any wind, which was also a blessing given that this is an open flat space, and if there were any wind, it would have been brutal coming right off the beautiful lake. it was a really great way to start this sunday. 10/10 would do it again.
special thanks to celeste for sending me those photos! you are the bees knees.
