First 10K (Read 455 times)

I really have just gotten serious and committed to my running in the past year. This is my first year that I've actually done some real racing. Before my running was just a few miles here and there. But now I'm addicted. After finally breaking my goal of running a 5K in under 30 minutes (28:41, I'm old and slow what can I say) I decided I wanted to try a 10K. With the goal of being under 60 minutes. I had been warned that breaking an hour might take a few times and not to be too discouraged if I couldn't do it. So Sunday morning I show up for my first 10K. It's a beautiful morning tempatures around 50 degrees and the sun is coming up. The race is at a state park dam. The dam is very flat and so I'm thinking, I can do this I know I can. Then we look at the course...from mile 4 to 5 you have to go up 100 steps to the top of the damn. There also is a gradual up hill to the top of the damn at the beginning. I'm standing there looking at it thinking, "Oh man, this is gonna be tough...I hope I can at least finish in 1:05:00" My ankle has been giving me some problems and I had taken off a week last week and only run a few times before. I was cold and was thinking of all kinds of reasons why I may end up walking part of this and how maybe I shouldn't even do it. I kept saying over and over, "why am I doing this to myself." The race began and we started up the slow gradual up hill. Mile 1 was 9:22. I remember thinking "wow if I can maintain that speed I may do ok. But don't speed up too much remember there are those stairs...they are gonna kick your butt!" Mile 2 9:26, Mile 3 9:23, Mile 4 heading back down to the bottom of the damn 9:03. In my head I'm calculating, where I am with where I should be, how fast do I have to do these stairs etc. As I head up the stairs I realize that I'm on track to finish under an hour if I keep it up. And then the stairs...not only are they narrow with several racers heading up them, there also are several local people who just use these stairs for training exercises. As I headed up a girl not in the race gets right in front of me. I'm thinking, "oh man now I won't be able to get up here as fast as I wanted" I quickly found out that I had nothing to worry about as this woman was to the top before I was even half way. At the top of the stairs, I almost felt like I was going to puke. I walked a step or too, trying to get my legs to stop feeling like noodles and then pick up my pace again. 10:23 for mile 5. The entire time before the stairs there were 2 women about my age running right behind me. We jockeyed a few times, but they kept talking and talking so I was trying to put space between us. They caught up with me at the stairs and passed me. I remember thinking, "hmmm they look about my age, maybe I shouldn't let them get in front of me" But with wanting to baby my ankle still a little I didn't kick it up and pass them. Mile 6 9:03. Came into the final .2 and saw that my time was in the 59:-- started kicking it and made it in at 59:19. I had done it I was estatic...until they told me I was 4th in my age group and those 2 women in front of me had gotten 2nd and 3rd...UGH...why hadn't I pushed it, I could have passed them. Oh well next year. It was really a great race, I got the time I wanted and didn't feel sick like I had after a few of the 5k's. (probably the cooler weather, I love fall!) I felt like I could have held that pace for several more miles. I think that week off to baby the ankle was a great thing...gave my muscles a break and helped me to be less tired. My ankle is still cranky today but I'm hoping another few days off of it and meeting with a sports doctor will put me on the complete road to recovery. And next time I'm going to pass those women I'm looking for my next race even as we speak I think I'm an addict

Nice job! Stairs no less....yikes!

Great job!

Thanks everyone...and I forgot the best part, they gave away Smartwool Socks at the finish line. Love the free stuff

Congratulations! You did so well!! I didn't know you were so fast! Tell us which race you decide on for your next one.

Great job on your first 10K scuba!