Run for the Roses 10K - Race Report

Wow, it seems like forever ago that I ran this race…so much has happened since then. Yet it was also the last time that I had a chance to run! I have been a little too crazy to blog (or run) the last few days.

My best hopes for the Run for the Roses 10K this weekend was to run it in under 1:08 (McMillian based on my 8K results from 6/1) but I figured that was probably unlikely since the website said the race had a "challenging rolling hills" route. So, I was hoping to at least finish in under 1:10 with very little walking (only if the hills were too much).

One reason I picked this 10K over others was that it was chip-timed (according to the website). Well, when I got there I realized that only the inline skate portion was chip-timed…not happy. I had decided to go with the more challenging hilly course because I like the chip-timing at my last race. Oh well, I figured I was already there, so I might as well run it now.

I am not familiar with this area, nor had I driven the course beforehand, so I had very little knowledge of what to expect. At least I had not serious goals for this one…just wanted to get the first 10K completed. So, the race starts. The 10K & 5K started at the same time, on different sides of a divided road. I was chugging along and looked over to the 5K side and noticed 5 firemen running the 5K - they were wearing full gear! I mean the big coats, helmets, even some kind of tank on their backs!! At least they were wearing their running shoes instead of the boots. I wonder how they did?

So, the first hill was probably about half a mile in…long and reasonably steep. About halfway up I decided that I was going to try to make it up the first 3 hills before I let myself walk at all. By the second hill I started to pass a couple people, so I kept checking my pace which seemed okay. The top of the third hill was about 1.5 to 2 miles into the race. I thought there was no way I was going to make it up the next…then we turned the corner…and had close to 4 miles of pretty flat running. Starting with mile 3, I discovered the mile markers (too distracted by the hills for miles 1 & 2 I guess). I was under an 11 minute pace! Oh no, I was going faster than I had planned. I had to decide if I should slow down and conserve my energy for any upcoming hills? Or maybe push the pace now and give myself a time-cushion in case I need to walk any upcoming hills? I didn't see any hills in front of me, so I opted for #2 and just kept going.

Finally I get close to the end of mile 5 and turn a corner…OMG!! Where did that hill come from?!?! But I pushed through it…I was too close to the end to walk now! I made it up the hill, into the track, around the track, and through the finish in…1:05:19!!!! No way!! I had to check my sportband…yep, just over 1:05! That works out to a 10:31 pace, which is 20 seconds faster than my 8K just a month ago, on a flat course!! Wow, I guess this training thing really does work :) Now to work in some speedwork for my 5K…my 5K PR is from 2006 and at a 10:48 pace…I really want to break that! And now I know that I can do it!

Oh, and then later this weekend I was checking out RWOL and saw that Bill (concreterunner) had posted a RR! I was quite surprised to see that there was someone else from the BF at this little race of 145 runners! BTW, he did amazing! He finished 15th overall - congrats Bill!

Stats
Race: Run for the Roses
Date: June 29, 2008
Distance: 10K
Official Time: 1:05:19
Average Pace: 10:31
Overall Place: 137/145
Place in Age Group: 12/15