2-20-10 WRC 10K

Today was the 10K in my Winter Racing Circuit.

I got up there about 30 minutes before the race started. The temperature was just so cold. Even with gloves on, my hands were just freezing. I could barely pin my number on and I was wishing I would have worn another layer.

I went in the bathroom to get warm for a little while and took this lovely picture.

The race started at 8am. I think everyone was just ready to get running so they could get warmed up.

The course started with small hill, then down a big hill. I was loving it (but I did realize that I would be coming back up this big hill). Most of the course was on a downhill slant or relatively flat. I warmed up as I ran but my hands were still cold. We ran out for 3 miles then looped around and came back, even coming back there were only a couple parts where the hills got to me.

There were two water stops, I am finding that I do not have the coordination to run or even walk and drink. A little more than half way there was also an older couple standing on the corner with their dog. They had a big cowbell and pompoms and they were waving and cheering. I don't know who they were there to watch but they cheered for everyone that passed them and they made me laugh. There was also some guy in pajamas who came out of his house with a cup of coffee and just stood on the side of the street and watched everyone run by, it was odd.

With a little less than 1 mile left we came to the big hill, not one person in front of me was running, everyone was walking up it (all the hard core runners had finished a long time before this, I am sure they ran right up the hill) so of course I was walking up the hill, then comes this guy just chugging along running right past me. I tried to follow his lead but I just couldn't keep it up. My legs were burning, I finally decided to run for 1 minute then walk the next until I got to the top of the hill. It worked, I didn't pass out and roll down the hill.

For some reason my Nike+ was telling me I only had 400 meters to go when really I had probably twice that much. I must have started my timing too soon at the beginning. That was a little distracting but I just ignored it when it said I had completed 10 kilometers yet I was still not to the finish line.

I finally saw the finish line! It said 1 hour 11 minutes 45 seconds so I ran as fast as I could so I could get there before it hit 12 minutes.

I made it! I finished with a smile and I wasn't the last person to cross the finish line!

(The website doesn't have the race results up yet, but I snapped this photo of my age group with my phone)

Afterwards I figured I deserved a treat so I picked up a big box of bagels and I pretty much have been eating them all day.

Today was a good day. My muscles feel a little tight, I have a big blister on the arch of my foot because I taped it too tight, but other than that I feel great!