Suffolk Ten Miler Race Recap.

I was really worried about this race the last few days.  I didn’t want to race hard and injure myself(after all-my races post injury have been either short or on grass).  I didn’t want to jog slow and get the dreaded DNF or more importantly have a somewhat upsetting result .  I didn’t really have a game attack plan.  (But I normally don’t when I run races).  My thoughts are for races are either: today I will run fast, today I will jog at an 8 minute pace or today I just don’t care.)

There has been one race where I just didn’t care. Remember last Decembers Freezin’ for a reason 5k?  When we ran on ice?  Oh yes me too.  Slow and steady wins the no ankle breaking race.

Another big reason that I wanted to do this race, is because my area (VA Beach, VA) is really big into running.  I had met a lot of people on dailymile who were running this race and similar to a blogging meetup, I wanted to have a dailymile meetup.

I met some great people such as Marie, who has been one of the most supportive people since returning from my stress fracture.  Sadly, she currently has a case of her own and is coming to end of her recovery though (YAY!). 

Anyways, I was busy gabbing with Marie (what else is new…chronic chatterer is what I am.) The gun went off and people ahead of me were booking it.  I was so confused.  Then I realized-um duh Hollie you are racing today. 

So I was off.  I pretty much found my groove immediately.  I did exactly what I was recommended by coachy coach.  Extended tempo run.  3 miles warmup-4 miles tempo-3 miles cooldown.

I tried my very best to follow that and I did pretty much.  I ran the middle four miles a little slower than I wanted to at about a 7:15 pace-but I wasn’t feeling 100%.  I am still a little sleep deprived but that is another story.  I never got my ten hour make up sleep day, from waking up at 5:30 all week from swim practice. 

The first three miles were smooth.  Took them easy, chatted with lots of people. By people I mean 30-50  year old men who pretty much dominate the entire upper half of races because they are super quick.

The middle four miles, I ran quicker at about a 7:15 pace.  I chatted far and few between but the guys were great.  I stuck with one guy until he dropped down to below a 7:00 minute pace and peaced out.  He only finished about 2 minutes infront of me though.  Would you believe me if I told you, I directed him in the right direction on the race course?  He went past the turn.  People normally can never rely on me for directions.

During the last three miles (during my cooldown of course), I knew some of the other ladies in the race were gaining on me and I wanted to keep my position.  I know-I do have some sort of competitiveness somewhere in my little soul.  So even though I was literally dead at mile 8 (I haven’t felt that tired in a race in oh I don’t know…since I used to go into cardiac arrest running the mile in middle school) but I kept my head up and just pretended like I was frolicking in the park.  In my mind at least.

My high school’s cross country team was volunteering along with my brother (who is home for break too).  He didn’t race today since he has some serious cross country races ahead of him (and unlike me…likes those 8ks more than 10 milers…weird).  Anyways long story short-I saw him at mile 9 and he kept me moving. #bestmotivatorever

Then I finished the last mile, trying to keep my lead all while smelling the greasy popcorn being made at the movie theater (that is where is the race started).  Voms.com. 

And then watched later on as a 75 year old woman finished the 10 miler in 2:30.  That is me in the future. 

So another successful race in my books.  I love running. 

Question for you:

 Tell me something you love.