ADT 10k (ish)
With no Vapor Trail 125 this year, I'd pondered - however briefly - doing the half marathon at the American Discovery Trail races this year. I may have done some longer races, but I hadn't done a hard half marathon for time yet - which is something I like doing every year. Even if the time isn't fast by my old standards, I still get a sense of where I am in the running world. But once again, with being on the schedule to work the holiday, common sense took over. The 10k would get me done and at work at a reasonable time, unlike the half marathon. Besides, last year had been such a crappy race at the ADT10k that I really wanted some redemption. So 10k it would be.
Even with packing everything the night before, it was still an early wake up for the race. I left the house earlier then I needed to, but that meant I was able to get a good parking spot that would allow me to get to work easily. I puttered around for bit before seriously starting the warm-up. Again, getting that timing for the perfect warm up still eludes me. I either time it so there's too much space between the warm up run and the race start so end up standing around for a while or I have to cut things short and don't get a chance to stretch or anything. This time I was on the long end, but it was nice to have the extra time to stretch and such. I watched the start of the half marathon, in some ways happy I'd opted for short and fast, but kind of jealous that I wasn't running long. And then it was time for us to line up.
I did my normal perusing of the field around me. Nobody stood out as automatically appearing fast. There were a few women that looked like they were planning on racing hard, but it didn't feel like the same serious starting line as last year. I told myself that the plan was to run smart for the first three miles and then try to pick up the pace for the last three and what happens happens. I'm still trying to wean myself of starting as fast as I did in my 20s, when I could actually hold that pace! Of course, starting slower and picking up the pace is much easier when it's an out and back course, trending downhill on the return leg. At the gun, the field pulsed away from the starting line. But not that quickly, nothing like the first two years. I felt like I was moving comfortably fast, not sprinting, yet found myself in the lead for the first quarter mile. The lead overall, not just for the women! It wouldn't last as a few guys passed me as we turned onto the Santa Fe Trail and headed north. I was in fourth overall, running smoothing and feeling comfortable. A good start to the day! Now to just keep it moving.
I'd planned on starting out around 6:50s, then hopefully dropping to 6:40s on the return to the finish. I figured since I've been doing 6:30s at the Neilson on the back half of a workout, it was a reasonable goal. I somehow missed the first mile, so wasn't able to check my pace. I'm really starting to work on not looking at the watch that frequently and running more on feel like I did when I was younger. The intuitive running is less stressful and puts me more in tune with what I'm doing, even in the workouts. But when I passed mile 2 and looked at my watch, I realized why the pace felt so comfortable. I was on the closer to 7:00 range then 6:50 range. Whoops! But the goal was to run the first half comfortable, so I didn't adjust too much. We passed mile three and I was still right at 7s.
The first year of the 10k, the turn around had been right in the middle of the water station - which had been kind of crazy with the people. So last year, they'd addressed that concern, but that meant the 10k hadn't hit that last water station. I wasn't anticipating hitting the water station this year, but it was such a perfect running day it didn't matter. To my surprise when we turned off the gravel of North Monument Valley, the turn around was well past the water station. Much further then the last two years. I knew immediately that the course would be a little long. Oh well, everyone has to run the same distance! As I made the turn, I was able to get a sense of my lead. There was no other 10k races on the small stretch of blacktop through the water station yet. It wasn't until I was almost ready to make the turn back into Monument Valley Park that the next racers appeared. Both of them women. I had a good lead, but I would have to work to hold it.
And that was the plan. Pick up the pace and hold it. The only bad part of the plan was that meant I was working hard and not as smiley as usual. All my Brewers Cup friends were cheering me on, but I was only managing a wave and a semi smile. When we reached the mile 24 marker for the marathon, I glanced at my watch. We should be at about 4 miles at that point, but with the long course I knew we would be off. Yup - I had 4.2 miles! I'd managed to drop the pace to about 6:45, and was starting to slowly make up ground on the guy in third. I decided that would be my goal - to try to reel him in and maybe move into third. It was a more visual goal then just "run faster" so it was easier to focus on. Slowly but surely, the gap came down. I kept pushing, digging to find that extra little gear to make the catch. We left the gravel behind and I was mere steps behind him. I could do it! Under Bijou and the railroad tracks and I could tell he was getting nervous about me. We crossed the bridge to the west side of the creek and I was almost on his shoulder. And then he started pulling away. I didn't have the speed left in my legs to match the acceleration, so just maintained my pace. Fourth place it would be.
This was one of my better 10k races. Even if I didn't start as hard as I wanted, I still had a solid race. I was able to run smart, brush off the slower start to make up time at the end and stay focused on the race the entire time. Overall I ran a 43:40 - but that was for 6.4 miles, about 10.2k instead of 10k. My 10k times was 42:26, so I'm really happy about that.
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| Labor Day means balloons and running! |
I did my normal perusing of the field around me. Nobody stood out as automatically appearing fast. There were a few women that looked like they were planning on racing hard, but it didn't feel like the same serious starting line as last year. I told myself that the plan was to run smart for the first three miles and then try to pick up the pace for the last three and what happens happens. I'm still trying to wean myself of starting as fast as I did in my 20s, when I could actually hold that pace! Of course, starting slower and picking up the pace is much easier when it's an out and back course, trending downhill on the return leg. At the gun, the field pulsed away from the starting line. But not that quickly, nothing like the first two years. I felt like I was moving comfortably fast, not sprinting, yet found myself in the lead for the first quarter mile. The lead overall, not just for the women! It wouldn't last as a few guys passed me as we turned onto the Santa Fe Trail and headed north. I was in fourth overall, running smoothing and feeling comfortable. A good start to the day! Now to just keep it moving.
I'd planned on starting out around 6:50s, then hopefully dropping to 6:40s on the return to the finish. I figured since I've been doing 6:30s at the Neilson on the back half of a workout, it was a reasonable goal. I somehow missed the first mile, so wasn't able to check my pace. I'm really starting to work on not looking at the watch that frequently and running more on feel like I did when I was younger. The intuitive running is less stressful and puts me more in tune with what I'm doing, even in the workouts. But when I passed mile 2 and looked at my watch, I realized why the pace felt so comfortable. I was on the closer to 7:00 range then 6:50 range. Whoops! But the goal was to run the first half comfortable, so I didn't adjust too much. We passed mile three and I was still right at 7s.
The first year of the 10k, the turn around had been right in the middle of the water station - which had been kind of crazy with the people. So last year, they'd addressed that concern, but that meant the 10k hadn't hit that last water station. I wasn't anticipating hitting the water station this year, but it was such a perfect running day it didn't matter. To my surprise when we turned off the gravel of North Monument Valley, the turn around was well past the water station. Much further then the last two years. I knew immediately that the course would be a little long. Oh well, everyone has to run the same distance! As I made the turn, I was able to get a sense of my lead. There was no other 10k races on the small stretch of blacktop through the water station yet. It wasn't until I was almost ready to make the turn back into Monument Valley Park that the next racers appeared. Both of them women. I had a good lead, but I would have to work to hold it.
And that was the plan. Pick up the pace and hold it. The only bad part of the plan was that meant I was working hard and not as smiley as usual. All my Brewers Cup friends were cheering me on, but I was only managing a wave and a semi smile. When we reached the mile 24 marker for the marathon, I glanced at my watch. We should be at about 4 miles at that point, but with the long course I knew we would be off. Yup - I had 4.2 miles! I'd managed to drop the pace to about 6:45, and was starting to slowly make up ground on the guy in third. I decided that would be my goal - to try to reel him in and maybe move into third. It was a more visual goal then just "run faster" so it was easier to focus on. Slowly but surely, the gap came down. I kept pushing, digging to find that extra little gear to make the catch. We left the gravel behind and I was mere steps behind him. I could do it! Under Bijou and the railroad tracks and I could tell he was getting nervous about me. We crossed the bridge to the west side of the creek and I was almost on his shoulder. And then he started pulling away. I didn't have the speed left in my legs to match the acceleration, so just maintained my pace. Fourth place it would be.
This was one of my better 10k races. Even if I didn't start as hard as I wanted, I still had a solid race. I was able to run smart, brush off the slower start to make up time at the end and stay focused on the race the entire time. Overall I ran a 43:40 - but that was for 6.4 miles, about 10.2k instead of 10k. My 10k times was 42:26, so I'm really happy about that.
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| Back on the top step of the ADT 10k. Second time! |
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