So this race was being held exactly one month after my half, so I wanted to see what I could do with my hard earned fitness. There's not a lot of 10k's around here, and the start happens to be a mile from my front door. Typically, there's less than 200 finishers for the 10k. This is one of the last events of a 5 day Italian festival that is held in my hometown over Memorial Day weekend which consists of several concerts, a carnival, parade, bocce, and lots of rednecks drinkin' beer and generally pissing off the locals.
After my HM, my "training" for this race consisted of 1 week of recovery (3 miles), 1 week of easy miles (33), 1 normal week (3 easy runs, 1 tempo-ish run, 1 track workout - 35 miles), and one week of running while on travel for work (18). I got a bit sick over Memorial Day weekend, so I ended up with 4 days off before the race. Sluggish, anyone. Really had no goal other after the preceding month. Just wanted to run a decent race.
The weather was around 70 degrees, with 15-25 mph winds. At least no rain this time. Miles 1-2 the wind was at my back, 3-5 smack in my face, and a tailwind for the 1.2 miles to the finish.
I jogged to the start from my house, stretched a little bit, and got started. Mile 1 was 7:19, which felt good, but I was afraid was too fast. Mile 2 was 7:26, and I was already feeling it. Mile 3-5 were a struggle after turning into the wind. I looked at my watch and saw myself slowing, and pretty much mentally checked out for those 3 miles (7:38,7:54,7:51). I don't know how much was the wind, and how much was me causing the fade. I got back in the groove in mile 6 (7:17) with the help of the wind, and passed a few people in this stretch. Kicked it in at ~6:25 pace.
Won my age group (like I said small race), which was nice, and finished almost 13 minutes ahead of myself at this race last year. Overall, I was ok with my performance, but not satisfied. I'm also ok with this being my only 10k each year. Give me a 5k or a half any day.
PRs:
5k - 20:51 - 9/5/15
10k - 47:00 - 5/25/15
15k - 1:10:19 - 11/21/15
13.1 - 1:42:25- 4/25/15
26.2 - TBD (someday)
good stuff...congrats on the AG win and picking it up in mile 6!
marathon pr - 3:16
Are we there, yet?
Is that Herrinfesta as in Herrin, IL? My parents grew up in West Frankfort and I used to spend summers there with my grandparents as a kid. I was born in Herrin. Small world!
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
Former Bad Ass
Congrats on the AG win!
Damaris
Yes, that's crazy. Born and raised.
delicate flower
Nice job, Jonesy! That headwind can pretty much suck the life out of you. You still ran a good pace during those miles. Now ffs what did you win for the AG award?
<3
Congrats! Wind can be so demoralizing, and especially so in a fast race. You did a great job.
5k - 22:53 (May 2015)
10k - 50:00 (unofficial; part of 20k race, March 2015); 50:33 (official; July 2016)
HM - 1:48:40 (Apr. 2015)
A medal with the Herrinfesta logo (seen below, if I didn't screw it up). As medals go, it was pretty nice. It didn't have AG listed on it or anything, so when I tell my grandkids about, it will of course be an overall award.
Riding on your peek fitness is awesome. You did great in very windy conditions, excellent! Congrats on the new PR and the AG!
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
Congrats on the AG win and the big improvement over last year.
Barking Mad To Run
Congrats on your race and the AG award!
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Theodore Roosevelt
Super B****
Congrats on the PR and AG!! I'd like to run a 10K like that... but they scare me.
chasing the impossible
because i never shut up ... i blog
AG win & a 13 minute PR? Wow!
Head winds are miserable. At least it was a warmer day, cold head winds are brutal. I don't know that there is anything to do when it is windy other than run based on effort as opposed to pace, since you are slower fighting the wind.
Congratulations on the huge PR and AG win! One 10k a year is more than enough. 10ks suck!
I looked at my watch and saw myself slowing, and pretty much mentally checked out for those 3 miles (7:38,7:54,7:51). I don't know how much was the wind, and how much was me causing the fade.
I am sure the former had a lot to do with the latter, which is why I ran with my watch on silent this past weekend and didn't even look at the stupid thing the entire race.
As it is nice job getting out there and I really liked the care in which you took coming back. Give yourself ten days to two weeks and you should be ready to blast a 5k to smithereens.