I like races that start a little bit later! Despite having to be bussed you can still sleep in and you don't have to dress like a snowman at the start of this race (thank you mother nature!) Shorts and a t-shirt, ah! Such lovely weather. A slight breeze, but nothing you'd even notice. Perfect conditions for a race. My gut was doing carwheels, this is the first time I'd set myself up to race in a LONG time. Ugh, I wish it didn't stress me out. It is just the mental game, and I know it! I try to convince myself it is fine and won't be a big deal, but it rarely listens. Waited for Kim and Scott at the buses, but I got antsy and had to get on a bus. I had the most awesome bus ride up. The bus driver chatted at us and had a sing a wonderful song "Have a great day, have a great day, have-a-have-a-have-a-have-a Have a great day!" Set my gut at ease to be among happy, relaxed people. Waiting in line for the pop I spotted Marci Wood. We chatted and connected over running the 50K together next week. We were both ecstatic to find someone to share misery with! :) I am SO grateful for that happen-stance meeting. Found Kim and Scott and we all took off for a little warm-up mile. It did me good to get my heart and legs going before the race. Especially since my glutes and hammies were still sore from my dumb workout Wednesday! Idiot! Made another pop stop and then it was go time. Marci was nice and let me throw my jacket in her bag since I was SO smart to forget mine. Lined up at the start and off we went. Shortly after starting I spotted someone in front of me that I would've sworn was Lily if I didn't know better. Bright shorts, long dark hair, similar gait...but, it wasn't Lily. Then I caught up to her and caught sight of her eyelashes...a little more of the face and it WAS Lily!!! I knew it! HA! I often find people I know in a crowd that aren't really them, but this really WAS Lily. So, I ran right next to her and bumped elbows. We both were racing and had music in, so I couldn't say anything. It took a couple bumps, and I'm sure Lily was rather annoyed that this idiot wouldn't give her space, but she finally looked at me and recognized me. Hopefully she also instantly forgave me for butting into her space :) After a quick hello I was feeling good on the downhill and took off wondering when she would pass me back! It didn't take but a half mile later that she pulled ahead. I tried to stick to her, but the course had flattened out and I think I pushed too much that first mile. The downhill is SO good though that first mile it is hard not to just push it out!! You pay for it in mile two though. I was running strong and feeling good. I was paced out with people around me, but was slowly pulling in a few people in front of me. By the bottom of the canyon I had finally caught the girl in the white tank! I also got to see my awesome hubby cheer me on too! A rarity since he is usually stuck with the kids, but this weekend was just ours, so he had nothing better to do, but follow me around at the race...and I loved it! White tank girl pulled ahead on the first uphill after the bottom of the canyon and I tried to regain it on the downhill, but I just couldn't, she'd taken a good lead on that uphill. It makes me mad, but I was pulling in some guys, so I couldn't complain. The next part of the race is a flat and then your last BIG uphill push (you hit mile 5 marker 1/4 of the way up the hill), then you have a false flat for the next half mile. This is where I lost it mentally last year. After the big hill on the false flat I slowed way down and like 7 people passed me. I wanted to stay strong that stretch this year! When my legs started to whine I'd just put my effort into my arms and let them carry me until my legs stopped complaining and I could just focus on pushing. I ended up reeling in a guy that had been in front of me for a while. He was 30ish feet in front of me and I narrowed the gap to about 10 feet on that stretch. I was proud that I'd stayed strong and hadn't given up any position! It is the small battles that add up, right? After the false flat you get .15-.2 of a good downhill then a turn at mile 6 marker with a flat into the finish. I pushed. I didn't have anyone to 'race' so I pushed what I thought was a good finish :) I like having someone to race that last stretch! I was surprised when I saw the clock at 42:45. I didn't think I'd done well enough to get a 42! Excellent. My Garmin showed 42:50 and I knew my PR was a 43 something from last year, so I was excited to have a new PR day. Final times ended up 42:47.8 - 5th in my AG (last year a minute slower I was 3rd in AG...dang it!), and 14th overall. I was proud of the way I'd tackled the race and come out with a new PR. Afterward we always think we could've pushed a little more, but at the time I know I was doing what I could. I hope Des News goes well enough to take another minute off thanks to the downhill there :) AP: 6:53 - my 10K PR AP is now 1 second faster than my half marathon PR AP...HA! better than 10 seconds slower, huh? splits: 6:08, 6:54, 6:39, 7:02, 7:19, 7:27, 6:19 (last .21 recorded). That last uphill/false flat mile was still my slowest, but I'll take how I did mentally! Think I started out too fast? I need someone to pace me on a 10K! Or teach me how to pace myself!
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