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Joe's Run 10k race report: A PR despite some difficulties

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5ksandcabernets: Joe's Run 10k race report: A PR despite some difficulties

5ksandcabernets

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Joe's Run 10k race report: A PR despite some difficulties

I didn't even think I was going to run this race until 30 minutes before the start. I knew it was going to be cold and windy and so the night before, I went out with friends and had more than my share of margaritas before switching over to wine.

("Why not have fun Friday night - especially if I'm not racing Saturday morning," I thought as I ordered another glass of Cabernet from the waiter at Taverna's wine/pizza bar in downtown Fort Worth)

I woke up this morning and headed immediately to the bathroom, where I spent a good 30 minutes wishing I hadn't drank so much and reading the newspaper. I could hear the wind blowing like crazy outside my window, like it was blowing before the start of the White Rock and Cowtown marathons.

There is no way I'm going to run this race, I thought. Then I figured, since I'd already paid the registration fee and was planning on running anyway, I might as well do it. Why not, right? So literally, at 7:30 for a race that was scheduled to start at 8, I pinned my bib number, went to the bathroom one more time just to be certain, got dressed and drove like a bat out of hell to the start of the race.

And that's when my problems began. As soon as I got out of the car, I realized I'd left my Garmin 305 at home. I had the heart-rate monitor strapped to my chest. But no Garmin. Now, what, I thought? I have NEVER EVER EVER run any race or training run without some kind of time contraption on my arm, whether it be a Garmin, Nike, or Polar.

Well, I guess there's a first time for everything, right. I'd have to run by feel, naked really. No instant feedback about minutes/mile or heart rate. And since I'd never run the course before, I had no idea where the mile markers were or how far we were from being done.

But at least I was warm in the mid 30s temps with wind gusts well over 30 mph. After a few delays, we were off. About 5 minutes into the race, I could feel that Cabernet-Margarita mix bubbling to the surface. Uh, oh, kinda early to be feeling this bad. But the worst to come was right around the corner, literally. We turned on a side street and to avoid stepping into a hole, I over-strided and landed funny on my left foot, causing the muscles around my shin to start cramping really badly.

Man, I thought, this isn't going so well. Now, Ive had this shin-injury dealy happen to me before in races and runs, so I knew if I'd slow down some, the pain would go away. But it was so intense that I stopped to try to massage the cramp out (and buy my lungs some time). After about 30 seconds, I took off again. I still wasn't feeling right, and we were now running into the wind (boy, Ive had experience with this, right?) but I just decided to gut it out.

Without my trusty old Garmin, it felt like I was running slow because my leg still hurt. At one point in the race, we hooked back up with the people who were running the 5k. Good, I thought, we are close to being done. There were a few rolling hills near the end, the kind of hills that I gobbled up during training runs, but now, with this sore shin muscle and shaky stomach, those hills (combined with the 30-plus mph winds) might as well have been mountains.

Finally, I could see the finish line and put in a finishing kick that had me passing quite a few people. My goal had been to run this thing in 42 minutes or better, but I knew with the weather conditions and my bad day that 42 minutes would be impossible. My second goal was to at least break my PR of 44:25, so when I turned the corner and saw the clock at the finish line reading 43 and change, I was decidedly happy.

My official time was 43:49, a pace of 7:04 m/m and a PR by 36 seconds. I finshed 15th overall out of 285 finishers.

There was a little confusion about exactly where in my age group I finished. The results posted on the side of a trailer at the race said I was the second-place male in the 40-44 age group. But then, when I went to get my award, they said I was the first-place male in my age group. Hmm, I figured, that means the fastest guy in my age group won the Masters Category, leaving me with a No. 1 finish, a nice trophy, and a well-deserved nap.

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12 Comments:

Blogger Billy said...

Hard core dude. Can't believe the obstacles stacked against you today and you STILL managed to pull out a fast time and a new PR.

Next time - just assume you're going to race instead of the other way around and pass on the alcohol Kev.

Congrats again brother. A 42 min 10K is easily yours under more ideal circumstances.

March 28, 2009 at 1:40 PM  
Blogger A Plain Observer said...

Congratulations. You see? wine is good for ya!

March 28, 2009 at 3:23 PM  
Blogger Victoria said...

That's a funny story-- good reminder that it's not always necessary to get super-rigid about race routines. Great job!!

March 28, 2009 at 3:31 PM  
Blogger Run For Life said...

That's awesome, congrats! Fuel up with margarita's and wine - I'll have to remember that. ;)

March 28, 2009 at 8:37 PM  
Blogger Deb said...

Wow! I'm very impressed! When I used to drink, I couldn't even walk to the kitchen! But the Two Can Sam reminds me of my low tolerance now that I'm pretty much sober. :-\

Congrats! :)

March 28, 2009 at 9:30 PM  
Blogger Kevin said...

Hmmm. Billy, the only man who has commented, says I should stay away from alcohol before races. Justbecause, Runforlife, and Victwa (three of the four women who have commented) think alcohol is okay.
Wonder if there is something i should glean from that?

@deb - im going to give two-can-sam (funny funny) to my 19-month old son.

March 28, 2009 at 9:43 PM  
Blogger Lindsay said...

excellent job kev. especially since you were completely not prepared it sounds! mr. it takes me no effort to win ;) know the feeling about running w/o data but sometimes (obviously) it's good for you. congrats on the pr!!

March 29, 2009 at 7:56 AM  
Blogger Tom Grant said...

Nice job Kevin, the last minute decision seems not to have harmed you....shows you are flexable. Perhaps that 1:30 is not going to be so hard for you. Learning to run with perceived exertion instead of gadgets is a good idea too.


Tom

March 29, 2009 at 7:08 PM  
Blogger The Boring Runner said...

Wow, that was your trophy!? Where do I sign up!? I am always on the lookout for things that will annoy my wife.

March 31, 2009 at 4:52 PM  
Anonymous Jess said...

Ha! This is awesome. Congrats on your prize, PR, and doing it all while hungover.

April 1, 2009 at 12:09 PM  
Blogger Ulyana said...

WHOA! GOOD JOB!!!!!!!

April 2, 2009 at 9:01 PM  
Blogger fraizerbaz said...

Don't take this the wrong way but... that trophy scares me a little!

April 3, 2009 at 6:06 PM  

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