Masters Running

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The agony of defeat 10K RR (Read 362 times)

    Issaquah Salmon Days 10K, 2008 Well I did this race last year and surprised myself with a pretty good time. 56:40. I had paced the race really well and pushed very hard the last two miles, and left it all on the course. It is a very flat course, only one slight rise in the middle, just a weak grade at most. The course goes sort of out and back through the flat commercial and residential streets of Issaquah, WA, but doesn't follow exactly the same roads out as back. This year I am in a little bit better shape, but not much. My original goal was to run the 2008 race 10 seconds per mile faster than 2007. I switched that to 5 seconds per mile faster after a few tempo runs suggested I’m just not there yet. Tammy will be happy to know her 10K PR is quite safe. Franc59 spotted me right away and we chatted and warmed up together. Her 3 athletic kids and husband were there too. Thanks to her husband for holding my warm-up jacket and for taking the photo! We started to worry about Tetsujin, since he was nowhere to be seen. Of course once he arrived bringing with him his indomitable upbeat spirit, I was psyched and ready to run. IRC, low 50’s, no rain and no wind. Dark rain clouds were circling the perimeter but never moved in. Not sure of the number of people, several hundred. I got into a good groove within ½ mile, and took the first 3 miles pretty easy. My strategy was to run the same well-paced negative splits as last year, except 5 seconds faster, and also I really wanted to hold back early then push for a big kick at the end. Let’s just say the strategy was working fine until about mile 4 when I started to drag. It was more mental than anything I think. I decided to run comfortably until the last half mile which should have still put me in PR territory. Around mile 4 I spotted barefoot Tetsujin just 20 meters up ahead. I kept tethered to him for a long time, but I didn’t want to catch up just yet. I was holding back a bit because I could feel my right side (side stitch) starting ever so lightly to complain. Finally with around half a mile left, I came alongside Tetsujin and challenged him to pick up the pace with me as I was now ready to push to the end. He immediately moved up two gears in speed as did I. It was fun for about 10 seconds but then suddenly my side was on fire….one of the worst side stitches just like that boom came on and I slowed way way down and then was reduced to walking. A first!! I’ve had side stitches many times before, but not one so crippling I felt it necessary to walk. I briefly contemplated going off course and removing my bib. A volunteer said to me “just 3 more blocks to the finish, you can do it”. I know he meant well but he had no idea the kind of pain I was in. I saw my cumulative pace grow and grow and gave up on a PR. Then I said to myself “a real competitor doesn’t give up”. I started hobbling, horribly bent over to my right side, and before I knew it I could jog again and then almost as suddenly I could run 9:00 pace again. The pain just kind of disappeared, it was weird. Hunching over was key I think. With about 0.2 to go, I started sprinting. I really poured it on even though I was certain my PR attempt was blown. The agony of defeat is all I can say. Unofficial Garmin time 56:42. 2 seconds over my PR! I was quite happily shocked. I assumed I was 30 to 60 seconds off a PR. You just never know. Interesting side by side splits: 2007 2008 9:18 9:14 (-4) 9:07 8:54 (-13) 9:13 9:10 (-3) 9:01 8:59 (-2) 8:42 8:52 (+10) 8:50 9:32 (oh the pain! +42) (8:12 pace last .30) (7:48 pace last .25) nice kick chick! 56:40 56:42? Me, Tetsujin (who stole my 55:XX), Franc59

    "During a marathon, I run about two-thirds of the time. That's plenty." - Margaret Davis, 85 Ed Whitlock regarding his 2:54:48 marathon at age 73, "That was a good day. It was never a struggle."


    MM#209 / JapanJoyful#803

      Thanks for the help in trying to get under 55:00 <>tammy's 54:59)>>>. I'll sure take those two seconds off your hands but maybe the official results will have gotten rid of them too. couldn't break tammy's time but you sure energized me for one of the best finishes ever for me. I assumed I was just a step ahead all the way and wondered what happened with a goddessless finish. speakin' of energy, the pictures looks like we're just gettin' ready to go instead of done. thanks.

      "Enjoy yourself. Your younger days never come again." 100yo T. Igarashi to me in geta at top of Mt. Fuji (8/2/87)

        Been waiting for your RR. Way to gut it out with the side stitches....glad you decided to finish the race!
        Quit being so damn serious! When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change. "Ya just gotta let it go." OM
          Oh Enke! How aggravating! >>>side stich< then again, i learned from this...if i get a side stitch, i will bend over & retie my shoes or something.... then="" again,="" i="" learned="" from="" this...if="" i="" get="" a="" side="" stitch,="" i="" will="" bend="" over="" &="" retie="" my="" shoes="" or=""></ then again, i learned from this...if i get a side stitch, i will bend over & retie my shoes or something....>


          Renee the dog

            Great way to gut it out! (literally!) You really turned a Black eye situation into a triumph. Congratulations!

            GOALS 2012: UNDECIDED

            GOALS 2011: LIVE!!!

              Great job, Enkie! If you could run that close to a PR after enduring a stitch like that, it's an impressive accomplishment. A new PR is on the horizon.

              Doug, runnin' cycling in Rochester, MI

              "Think blue, count two, and look for a red shoe"

                Enke, good job, and clearly you will run a nice PR if you race again without a side stitch. This exact thing happened to Dark Colt on Thursday and spoiled his result at his cross-country meet. Dark Horse
                I'm a dark horse, running on a dark race course.
                DickyG


                  What a huge gutty effort that was...I'm not sure I would have trudged on if I were in that much pain..yeah...let Tet have those 2 seconds. Great race...and an inspiration to me. DickyG
                    Wow, enke, that's got to be tough running with a side stitch like that. You were tough and gutsy. It's neat you still almost got a PR. Meeting Franc and tet had to have been something special. That's a nice picture and all three of you look like you could go for another 10K. Congratulations. TomS
                    TammyinGP


                      oh enke, I really really wanted you to beat my PR. The way some of your training runs have been so fast, I figured you had me for sure. I've never had a side stitch like you describe, but I can imagine that was quite debilitating. And you were certainly on pace for a great PR too. but like a true competitor, you saw it through to the end. Way to gut it out and despite it all be oh so close to a new PR anyways! And any race where you can zone in on Tet's backside is well worth it! Tongue

                      Tammy

                      wildchild


                      Carolyn

                        Wow, you almost beat your PR with a big break for the side stitch! I've gotten them before too, out of nowhere , and just as quickly they disappear. Too bad it had to happen during a race. Awesome picture of you three boomers! Thanks for the RR.

                        I hammered down the trail, passing rocks and trees like they were standing still.

                          Great Job Enke...maybe you can pace me next year??? Nice shirt!!!
                          Looking for a place to Happen, making stops along the way - The Hip
                            Indeed, "a real competitor doesn’t give up", and you didn't, Enke. Side stiches can be agonizing, but you found a way to relieve it, so you learned something from this experience. Side stich or not, you still did a smoking good time, so congratulations! j PS.: Our Jon doesn't show signs of slowing down at all, I see Smile. WTG, Tet!
                            SteveP


                              The picture rocks!!! Side stitches do not. Reaching deep and finishing rules!! Thanks for the RR.

                              SteveP

                              coastwalker


                                Hi Enke, An amazing, and tough run. To be off your PR by that little after being crippled by a side stitch means that you were having a fantastic race. I can certainly understand that you were in agony. But, given the circumstances, it is fair and quite reasonable to say that defeat is not a fair way to describe your race at all. It is a tough, determined runner who, instead of giving up, reaches down and finishes with a flash of speed. Don't hang your head over this one!! Jay

                                Without ice cream there would be darkness and chaos.

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