Let me start by saying I don't think I really like 10K's. They're just too hard. Short enough so you feel you have to run fast (and remember, fast is relative, because I am not fast) and long enough so you feel you are going to die. Anyhow . . .
Saturday I ran the Pine County Fun Run 10K. This is the ONLY race I know of that is held within 6 minutes of my house. My friend Cheryl is the race director. I always help with registration, so I was out the door at about 6:45 Saturday morning. We had a very busy hour registering runners (twice as many runners this year than last year!), and then it was time to start.
My goal was to run an 8:30-8:45 pace. My training for the month of July has been a little lacking, so I thought that was a reasonble goal. We started off and I immediately started out too fast. A ton of people were running the 5K, which started at the same time, and I'm blaming those fast 5K runners for my fast start. First mile: 8:07. I backed off a little the second mile and managed to get closer to my goal pace at 8:24. Once the second mile is finished, you turn onto a stretch of road that I simply refer to as "that bitch." It is a long, wide open expanse of hell. I started feeling nauseous and I'm sure it was just the mental block I have in my head about this stupid road. Mile 3: 8:45.
We finally hit the turnaround and I was on the way back. A little over a mile of my nasty road nemesis and then it was back into neighborhoods. At this point, I was just out of steam. I really felt my lack of training taking its toll during miles 4 and 5. I did not want to have any 9:00+ miles, but just could not get my legs moving. Both 4 and 5 clocked in at 9:17. I picked it up during the last mile, knowing I was closer to the finish. When we turned the final corner, I realized that I may still have a shot of finishing in under 54:00, so I really pushed. I just missed it, crossing in 54:02.
Which is a PR. By two whole seconds. So I should be happy, right? But I feel sort of crappy about the race because I don't think I ran very well. And I feel disappointed in myself for slacking during the month of July. On the plus side, I am finally feeling super motivated again where running is concerned. I want to get my miles back up this month and be ready for my short races in October and November. I also got some running loot for my birthday - my hubby bought me new running shoes, and with my birthday $ I bought a new sportsbra and some Gu (because Gu is like birthday cake, right?). I'm headed to the track after work to try out the new shoes. Hopefully all this broccoli I'm eating for lunch won't make a reappearance . . . .
15 comments:
PR - Good Show!!!
10K - I am with you on the subject. They have been nothing short of frustration for me.
Congratulations, a PR is still a PR on any level. Summer seems to have too many road blocks to running. Thank goodness for the fall races to keep you motivated.
Well done on that 10K. Pretty much anything under a 1/2 marathon sucks for me now. Completely with you on them being too short and fast. Lungs = on fire. Well done though and happy belated birthday.
A PR is a PR! How cool that the race is so close and growing like that. Good luck in teh coming months.
You just gave me an idea: birthday cake flavored GU. I know they have the ice cream, so why can't they do the GU? Great PR!!
a PR is a PR! congrats :) i still havent run a 10k but they just sound painful.
Congrats on the PR, even 2 seconds totally counts! I feel the same way about 10k's. Amazing that it's so close to home!
A PR with not much training - very nice!!
I feel your pain with the 10k. I ran a 5-miler last month which SUCKED!
Great job! A PR is still a PR...no matter by how much.
I can't believe you spent your birthday $ on a sports bra...not very exciting, but highly functional. :)
Happy Birthday!
Yay for the PR!
I guess I'm the weird one as I'm loving the 10K distance these days. Of course, I've been totally slacking on the long runs lately, so anything longer would kill me.
MCM Mama
A PR is a PR!! Way to go!
Don't be too hard on yourself. A PR is worth celebrating, under all circumstances! Congratulations! And yay for new shoes and sports bra!
Congrats on the PR! Sorry that you had such a tough time... 10K is a hard distance. Short enough that you don't get to start slowly but long enough that... well, it's a long way to push hard!
I'm sooooog glad you found your mojo again. I knew it would come back. Here's to getting back to training!!
And I FULLY agree on 10Ks. Not quite long enough to take seriously, but long enough to crap out if you start too fast. I haven't run a really good 10k race (as in good running, not good organization) in a couple years.
Congrats!!
I hear you about the 10K - what a crappy distance! I almost always start out too fast then live to regret it.
But since your friend is the race director, she can hook you up with an AG award, right? ;)
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