I must have bad luck with 10k's - this is the second one (of my 4 total) in which I've gone the wrong way or something! I think there were a total of 10 of us running the 10k, so the start was pretty small and I took off with no boys coming near, so I had goal #1 for the whole race! The race was a out-and-back, so when my garmin said 3.1 miles and there wasn't a turnaround, I was a bit confused, but when I eventually got to 4 miles with no turnaround in sight, I was so mad! I turned around and tried to think of where I could've messed up, but there wasn't any, so as I made my way back I told all the people running it what was up. The first 2 miles were fast and fun, and the third had a lot of slow uphill. I was actually 'racing' for them, but I got more and more confused/angry on the fourth mile so it was slower (and still uphill). Miles 5-6 were faster with the downhill, and when I got to 6.2 miles total, I glanced at my watch at 6.2 and I think my time was around 41:00. So, whatever. After that, I slowed to a 'cruise' at around 7:15/mi pace for the last 2 miles back to the finish line for a total avg. of 6:46/mi. (DS2 211.8) It turns out, talking to the race director after, that at some point we were supposed to go from the road to the paved trail and that the turnaround was on the trail. That would've been nice to know before the race. Or even during. Or if it had been marked. But no. I don't think I've been so tempted to flip someone off in all my life! I left right after I finished so I wouldn't freak out on anyone or get even angrier, and to make it to Pres. Hinckley's funeral on time. So I spent twenty bucks for a t-shirt, goody bag, and a 8 mile tempo run. Bleh.
I'm mostly over it by now, just a bit of frustration over a wasted morning.
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