10K Race Report

I did a lot of planning for my first 10K.  I looked at the weather obsessively.  I saw it was going to rain.  Tangent - I am a wuss who doesn't like being wet and/or cold.  I avoid running in the rain b/c I worry about being wet and/or cold.  But I wasn't going to miss my first 10K.  So I emailed friends who run and went to my local running store two days before the race.  I got a dri-fit hat and some socks that would wick moisture better than the ones I have.  I got a long sleeve shirt for racing in the low 40s and rain.  I was ready.

Two days before the race I laid everything out.  The night before the race I checked on all of the things I had laid out (you never know, something could have been moved by elves or something).

Saturday morning the 20th of April dawned with light showers and low 40s, just as promised.  I woke up at 5:30 in the morning so I could have my early breakfast.  I got ready, had enough time to drive through starbucks and get coffee and a bagel and still get to the race site 2 hours early, which should have gotten me there 30 minutes before packet pick up with time to chill in my car with my playlist and wait for my inaugural 10K.  I pulled into the parking lot and looked around.  

No one else there.  Not a soul.  No sign of things being set up for packet pick up.  Nothing.

"That's very strange, I'm early but not THAT early" I thought to myself as I pulled out my phone to see if perhaps there was a different lot, a different centralized meeting place I had missed.

There was indeed something I missed.  In the email I had read a dozen times so as to memorize things like the place to park (which I got right) I managed to skim over the DATE of the race (which I got wrong).  

First line, in big bold letters: RACE START: 10 am SUNDAY APRIL 21st.

*D'oh*

I looked around, slightly embarrassed as if the woman who had just entered the park to walk her dog knew I was 24 hours early for my race (she didn't). And then drove sheepishly to my gym to take a spin class, since I needed a workout that day.

The next day I managed to pull off my 10K without a hitch.  It wasn't even raining - but it was cold.  I ran exactly the race I wanted to and came in 5 minutes faster than I thought I would (although I think I went a little too slow, I didn't feel like I left it all on the course).   

All of the race predictors said I should run a 1:04 10K.  The first 2 miles I went slower than I needed to.  Ignored the people passing me and stayed in my own head.  I knew I'd pass some of them soon enough.  I also knew my time would be in the slower times on this day, based on last year's results.  I was racing the clock, myself, not other people.  At the 5K mark I could tell I was a little ahead of my suggested pace, and I still had plenty of energy so I started to kick it up a notch.  I cautiously increased my pace and began passing a couple of people.  With 2 miles left I definitely had a lot left in me and kicked it up about 20 seconds a mile.  With a mile left I felt like I was flying and kicked it up more.  I passed 10 people in that last 2 miles and came in view of the finishing clock with a remarkably pleasant surprise it still said 59.  I was going to make it in under an hour.

I kicked it into high gear and finished in 59:41.  A pace of 9:38 a mile.  Exactly the same pace as my first 5K (which means I'm definitely holding something back in these races...b/c the former should be faster than the latter).  I was so thrilled.  Even with botching the start time by almost 24 hours. ;)

Next race: The Newburyport River Run Half Marathon - 5/19.  

I can't wait.