Saturday, June 28, 2008

REEDS LAKE 5K/10K RACE REPORT, Sat., June 28, 2008

Preliminary results (my watch time): 5k, 33:54; goal: 35:00. 10k, 1:15:26; goal: 1:15. So I made one goal, and came close on the other.

It was overcast, almost stormy looking at the beginning of the 5k but also very humid (72 degrees, 81% humidity). Pretty much a sweat fest. My goal had been determined from my last 2 5ks and the fact that I was doing the 10k after. I wanted to hold back enough to feel good through the 10k. My first mile was under 11 min., very comfortable, yet faster than I expected. I walked through the first water stop. Mile 2 was just slightly over 11 min., so I took a 30 second walk break. I didn't need it, I just wanted to slow down. Mile 3 then was about 33:34, so I did pick it up just a little to get in under 34 since I was so close. I was glad to be done and also realized I didn't feel too bad, other than sweaty.

I had 11 min. before the start of the 10k so headed to my car to get my sunglasses. The sun was starting to break through the heavy cloud cover and I didn't want to chance not having them. Plus, I like being able to hide behind them. I feel like a voyeur that way, like I am invisible: I can see you but you can't see me.

I ran into Don after this, chatted a little, and he told me he was going to go stand on the corner near where his car was until I came through, which as it turned out was past the 5k mark. I also saw Alison from work--I recognized the race shirt she was wearing from a race we had both done. She wasn't running today, however. And suddenly I realized I only had about a minute to get to the start line, waaaay down the street. Now I was going to have to run and hope to make it. So I guess with that little jog and the warmup at the beginning of the 5k, I probably ran 10 miles today.

Because I had to hop into the lineup, I started pretty close to the front. I held my pace and eventually the masses passed me. I was trying to decide what to do for pacing: run 10 min. walk 1? Run to the first water stop? Run to the first mile? As it turned out, I ended up running a full 20 minutes, which put me right at the first water stop. I walked about 30 seconds here and started again, hitting the second mile in under 24 min., so slightly ahead of what I had planned. Here, though, several women I had passed before the first mile now passed me. I let them go, secretly hoping I'd catch them eventually, but also figuring I might not.

I wasn't sure where I was in the race. I was either at the front of the back of the pack or totally at the back of the pack. After this, I decided to time walk breaks every 10 minutes. The sun was out full force now, but thankfully a lot of the course was shaded. My next walk break then came on a long upgrade, and I didn't mind that at all. This helped when we came to the biggest hill (of the 5 on the course), this helped me not really have to walk up that monster, although my pace wasn't much more than a fast shuffle. Shortly after reaching the top of the hill I was hearing the chirping of the timing chips and figured there was a mat somewhere near and then discovered it was at the 5k mark, so much as I wanted to walk here I pushed through the 5k mark and then took in the rest of my gu and some more water. My time was about 36 something.

I kept up to the next 10 minutes and was going to take another break but decided to wait until I got through an intersection where cars were waiting to go through. I also passed two younger runners here who when they passed me at 2 miles I heard the girl say her heart rate was 184. If mine was that high, I'd probably be having a stroke. And so I wasn't surprised to see them walking.

I finished through the intersection and was coming close to another runner but I stuck to my plan, did my walk, and then continued. I saw Don here, and I'm sure he was glad to finally see me so he could leave!

I continued to gain on the other woman but resisted the urge to pass her. We were now at 4 miles and I held out the urge again to walk until 10 minutes. I was so sweaty by now there were times when it would cloud over for a minute and I wasn't sure if it was sprinkling or it was my sweat flinging off myself. I continued gaining on the closest person but it wasn't until she stopped to walk that I was able to get past her. Then it was up another short incline and around a corner and here I saw the 3 other women who passed me way back at mile 2. They were still a good ways ahead, but they were there, and I was surprised and pleased. There was also a woman walking here, so she was an easy target to pass. My walk break was coming up, but it wasn't until after the 5 mile mark. I was so glad to see that!

I realized, looking at my watch, that I still had plenty of time to make my goal, and it was also here that survival mode came into play. I was starting to feel a little queasy, mainly from the heat, so I made the wise decision to walk at 5 minutes, which I kept up until practically the end.

I was coming into the last 3/4 of a mile, knowing that the finish line could be seen but still was oh so far away, and my stomach wasn't doing well. And who do I see here? Two more women who passed me at 2 miles. One walking completely, the other slow shuffling, walking, running, shufflling. I knew the one who was walking would be my next target; I just didn't know about the other until after I took another walk break and then she was mine. I passed her, and went into the home stretch of the race and suddenly my stomach was not doing well at all. My breathing was getting very catchy too, and I just had to walk. I told myself when I got to the traffic light I would run, the traffic light, the traffic light. But then slow shuffler was coming by me again and I had to take her on. The instinct came from years of racing, at a much faster pace, and the knowledge today that I could beat some people who had only done the 10k.

Right at 6 miles, a woman who walked a loooong way was now sprinting to the finish, urging me to join her. I couldn't. My stomach wouldn't allow it, and I was starting to tighten up. I had all I could do to finish. I saw Alison here again cheering me on. I raised my fist and was so happy to be finishing this thing!

The sun was out full force here. No shade at the finish line. I saw the temperature at 78 degrees on a bank thermometer. That's not really hot when you're just standing around, but running, and running nearly 10 miles, with the added 70+% humidity, and you get the picture. My clothes were so wet, I could actually wring them out when I changed. Nothing like high humidity and heat to suck the life out of you.

I think I did okay. I couldn't help but think about a year ago, when my max pace for any distance was probably about what my ending pace today was. So I have come a long way in gaining back some strength that was never there last year. For that, I am happiest.

Time and place in the age group were not the goal today. Finishing both races in my goal time was and that was achieved. Now, its on to my swim.

9 comments:

E said...

Great job!

Unknown said...

Well done on both counts. Plus you did them back to back, right? That's really good!!

Jeff said...

A 5k, then a 10k right after? Whew - well done.

chia said...

Great job meeting goals and kicking some collective arse!!!

Buck Creek 5K in Grandville is next Saturday ;-). I was thinking of doing it as a recovery run. Wanna?

Lily on the Road said...

Girl, you're a machine! Great times!!!

Way to go!!

Thanks for the tips on the bike, I'm going to look into getting a release clip for the front wheel of my Iron Horse.....I'm getting excited about the Du and now I see a light at the end of the tunnel for the Try!!! Thanks!

Cindy Jo said...

Great job Vickie! The humidity in the mornings has been BRUTAL this week!!!

Christie said...

Two races in one day? I'm pretty sure I would break something. Good job!!

M*J*C said...

Great job on your run!!! Way to push through the humidity!

jeanne said...

fantastic job! wow, i think i'd die if i did a 5 and 10k back to back! you rock!