I just ran a HM on Saturday and haven't been doing speedwork this summer. I wasn't expecting much from this race but I did, of course, want to do my best. It's been very hot this week as well so was just wanting to finish under 55 mins.
This is a newer race but the RD sent an email out saying there were over 200 runners preregistered. I figured any chance of an AG placement was out the window with a larger field.
Woke up to 60* temps and overcast skies.
The start/finish was at a hospital a mile from our house. DH and I got our bibs and used the facilities. The 10k started at 8:00 and the 5k 10 mins after so we lined up and waited for the start. I checked out the crowd and looked like 2 fast girls up front and a several average looking girls around me. After the usual sponsor welcome and race info, we were off! Dh and I ran together out of the parking lot to the main road (we both run this road at least once a week so it was kinda neat to run it in a race). He gave me a quick slap on the a$$ and wished me good luck as he ran ahead. The cooler weather feels amazing and I'm feeling equally amazing as I settle into a pace and pass some of the slower runners. Pass up the first water stop and hit mile 1 in 8:29. Soon we turn onto the Rail Trail and I settle in right behind two men who were running a steady 8:05 pace. I decide to pace behind them and see how long I can hold this. Mile 2 goes by in 8:22.
Mile 3 starts off as we exit the trail and into a neighborhood. They had to re-route us due to the National Dragster race being rescheduled this weekend due to being rained out last weekend. So instead of a nice, straight road, we're doing loops around a boring neighborhood. I pass up the men in here but they are right on my tail. Skip the water stop. 8:03 for this mile.
I expected to start feeling pretty crappy by this time but mile 4 went by really well too. I must have lost some focus because my time for mile 4 was 8:22.
We leave the neighborhood and run alittle bit before turning and joining the 5k runners. The road gets more crowded as the 5kers are running in small groups and at a slower pace. One of the men who I had been running behind starts matching me stride for stride. I was not going to be passed by him so this mile went by pretty fast - 8:07.
The guy stays with me and I stay with him so the next mile hurts some but not terrible. There were a few little rolling hills (hills in the Central Indiana flat-as-a-pancake sense) but I push up them without issue. Skip the last water stop (oh how I love cooler weather!) and turn into the hospital for the last part. I'm still running with the guy and we're passing 5kers left and right. I can't tell if there are any 10k women in front of me but I hadn't seen any since mile 2 so I figured that I couldn't pass any now anyways. I see DH at mile 6 and he yells something about get moving. Mile 6 was 8:09.
Another turn in the parking lot and theres the finish line. I give it a kick and so does my shadow-guy. We cross the finish at the exact as time. I check my watch and it says 50:02! A PR by 3 minutes!!
DH and I walk around as I cool down. We decide to stick around for awards, just in case. DH said he only noticed a few other women finish before me.
The awards start and I won my AG! I was 1st out of 10, 5/33 females, 38/94 overall, 8:05 pace.
I got a nice medal in the shape of a train and a $15 gift card to the LRS. Oh and a huge smile.
DH had a great race too, he finished 15th over all, 5th in his AG. Good morning for our house!
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