Wicked 10k Race Recap
I have been dying to do the Wicked 10k in Virginia Beach for quite some time. J&A Racing puts on five races a year (all being themed and I love dressing up). So when the possibility of being able to run the Wicked 10k race rose up, I immediately took it.
The Wicked 10k weekend has several events including the Mini Monster 1k presented by Bon Secours, and now even a flat, fast, one-mile race, the National Bank Monster Mile (The mile happens on the Virginia Beach Boardwalk on Friday Night).
With the Wicked 10k, J&A Racing brings you, Hampton Roads, the largest Halloween Race and Party. During the Anthem Wicked 10k, participates are encouraged to be creative and dress up. That’s why Kris an I chose to be pumpkins for the Wicked 10k. Plus there is live music and post-race party. After the Wicked 10k, you can enjoy the Huge Post Race Party with blue moon beer, live music, and the costume contest.
Then I realized that since the Wicked 10k was a week before the marathon, it would be a perfect last high effort run (or really only high effort run). Though my run at the Wicked 10k is a solid minute per mile faster than my marathon goal pace…I think the marathon is a little longer…
A local runner, Kris and I decided to dress up as pumpkins for the Wicked 10k. It would be a lie if I didn’t tell you that Kris has always been one of my running idols since she moved to VA.
We warmed up for the Wicket 10k around the Convention center and it honestly went by really quickly. As much as I love running with Tim, it’s not the same as running with females and gossiping. We quickly made it back to the start of the Wicked 10k and put our stuff away in the car. Since it was a 10,000 person 10k the lines for the bathroom were so long. We quickly went to the porta-potty and hauled butt to the starting line of the Wicked 10k.
When the Wicked 10k went off, I immediately fell into my groove. I wasn’t sure how my skirt would hold up or if the socks would give me blisters but in proper running technique, I didn’t test any beforehand and just winged it. If I got massive blisters on my feet from the Wicked 10k, that would have been my fault and I probably would have stopped to take the socks off.
The first mile of the Wicked 10k, I felt I was in a solid groove. It was pretty crowded and I got boxed in several times but I managed to pass a few females and settle in by myself. I was weaving a lot during this first mile and with the turns, I managed to take out every turn way to wide. (5:52)
The second mile of the Wicked 10k went right down where I got hit by the cyclist and onto the boardwalk. (6:10)
Mile three of the Wicked 10k was along the boardwalk and I was all alone. The closest person in front of me was a female (about a quarter of a mile up). I wanted to catch her so badly, but couldn’t and never did. (6:14).
I hit the 5k of the Wicked 10k at exactly 19:30.
Mile four of the Wicked 10k, I drew on the crowds from other corrals passing the other way. It kept my mind off running and I was high fiven’, cheering and looking at other people passing the other way. I wanted to speed up during the Wicked 10k but my legs would not turn over any faster. This is just a product of not doing speed workouts and focusing on longer runs as well as high mileage. (6:14)
Mile five of the Wicked 10k was exactly the same way, but there was no one cheering and I was all by myself. I was passed by some males somewhere along there and I tried to keep up but they powered way by me. This was the hardest mile mentally but just kept reminding myself…that’s probably how I’ll feel for 10 miles in the marathon. (6:30)
Mile 6 of the Wicked 10k was motivating because we were heading back to the convention center and it was almost over. I didn’t feel like I was dying but I certainly wasn’t getting any faster. I just gave it everything I had and went to the end. (6:14).
The final .4, you could see the Wicked 10k finish line. I hate those finishes because they never seem like they are getting any closer and there are people at the .4 telling you that you are almost there…when, in reality, you still have 2-3 more minutes.
In my mind, “almost there” means I have about 5 strides to the finish line…not 2 more minutes going into cardiac arrest. Then after a few minutes (but not before being outkicked by someone), I crossed the Wicked 10k finish line, begged for some water, coffee mug and medal and headed into the post-race party with Kris.
Thoughts on the Wicked 10k:
The Wicked 10k was a great confidence booster going into the marathon. I had made the executive decision throughout training to forgo speed workouts and focus on building high mileage instead. Since it is my first marathon and my goal is to FINISH (with a secondary goal around 3:10), I took away all speed and just focused on high mileage.
It was great to only be 8 seconds off my 10k PR without any speed and not feeling the greatest. The weather for the Wicked 10k was beautiful and it was a flat, fast course so I cannot complain about that. Overall the Wicked 10k was a great race and I had a lot of fun. I was 4th female overall at the Wicked 10k and Kris got first! The Wicked 10k also a minute faster then last month’s Zero Prostate Cancer Run (and 40 degrees cooler!)
If you are ever in the VA Beach area, I recommend any race put on by J&A Racing. I always enjoy festive races, especially Halloween, so the Wicked 10k remains one of my favorite.
Questions for you:
Do you like themed races? Have you run the Wicked 10k?
What are your plans for Halloween?
Mine are to whine and complain that I have to wait till Sunday to eat all the candy.
Great job!!
I am taking my kids trick or treating on Halloween. It should be a good time.
First Hollie that is a great time, congratulations! Secondly I do enjoy a themed race from time to time. As a matter of fact I am volunteering this Saturday in Endicott, NY at a Halloween 13K.
I have to say I enjoy your blog very much. Cheers!
Joe
Thanks Joe, that means a lot! Have fun this weekend 🙂
Thank you Hollie and good luck on Sunday! Pretty awesome running the NYC marathon. Can’t wait to hear about it.
That’s one heck of a 10k a week out from NYCM-congrats! I can’t wait to hear you kill the marathon. You deserve it.
Halloween plans… cook dinner for Ty and watch the new (and very creepy looking) Criminal Minds episode. While I drool over Shemar Moore. 😉
EEK. I know I already said this but can I please be you when I grow up. I wish I could throw down times like this. You’re awesome, so is Kris. Fact.
I can’t wait to see you this weekend- NYC is going to be a weekend to never forget!
Congratulations on placing :). You and Kris look super cute in the costumes too!
Y’all looked adorable!! And I HATE those kinds of finishes too.. the never ending ones! I have my 3rd 10K this weekend and I’m a little nervous!
You are going to do awesome Rachel! You’ll have to let me know how it goes 🙂
Less than a week!!! If I could afford to come to NYC, I definitely would come cheer you on and meet you to give you a piece of Halloween candy. Or throw some candy corns at you while your running to motivate you to finish so you can eat some. Lol Kris is ripped! Girl has abs of steal haha!
Congrats to you (and Kris!!) Great work ladies!
Oh boy, those construction workers were too much. I loved your comeback line. 🙂 I hear random things like that all the time when running/racing. argh!
Let’s see, I’ve run in a reindeer costume, meaning mostly just antlers and bells and it was the most horrible experience. I literally held the antlers on the whole race. That means my arms were above my head the whole time. I would have taken them off but you had to wear them the whole time and win the race to get a free pair of shoes. haha. Probably not worth holding them the whole 5k, but hey, I did it and got the shoes! 😉
I can only imagine. I remember reading some of your pregnancy stories and thinking…really?! WTF.
HA. I cannot imagine with the bells on the ears. Wow, I hope the shoes were really good. Actually scratch that, I probably would have done the same thing. LOL.
I raced once with a headband that kept falling off…so I threw it in the water trashcan. Ha ha.
I’m generally a grump and don’t like themed races at all (particularly xmas ones – I ran a reindeer run once and I was dying of embarrassment the entire time. Never again). However, I would make an exception for a Halloween race, because I would love any excuse to dig out my old Goth outfits for a run 😀 Sadly there aren’t any about over here – I don’t think the UK really celebrates October 31st to the extent that the US does. Boo. I’d trade Halloween for Xmas any day.
Running that kind of time in a costume is amazing – I’d say that’s as good as a PR out of costume. Can’t wait to see you do equally as well in the NYC Marathon 🙂
xxx
Thank you Jess! The skirt actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I could wear “normal” running clothes underneath so it wasn’t too uncomfortable. The socks cut off my circulation a bit though ha.
This:
“In my mind, “almost there” means I have about 5 strides to the finish line…not 2 more minutes going into cardiac arrest.”
Is exactly what I think whenever I hear people yell that near the end of the race. LOL! Great job girl. I love themed races. Hoping to do the Santa run in December. I want to do the Turkey Trot near Thanksgiving but my husband is strongly opposed to me doing races on a holiday meant for feasting. LOL!
Exactly! Where is the Santa Run? I did one last year in Binghampton actually. It was pretty nice, my PW but the race itself was put on really well. 🙂
I also get so irritated when you can see a finish line for more than .10 miles away. It is really discouraging and never seems to get closer. You feel like you should give your full kick in when you see the finish line, but not always the case when its a half mile away! Oy vey.
Great job on your race! I do love me some themed races. So much fun 🙂
What a cool race–and nice work! I also hate it when people say, “you’re almost there!” when there’s anything left than 100m left. To me, “almost” means crossing the finishl ine in less than 30 seconds, lol.
Hmm, I remember you being a pumpkin a long time ago also. But your costume has definitely changed!
Besides the tights, it’s the same costume I used in college! I’m glad it was so “runnable”. Probably a few better decisions made this go around 😉
Hmm what about your sexy pumpkin costume from middle school?
Oh that one!! I actually asked mom where that one was so I could pass out candy in it tomorrow…but couldn’t find it. Did you steal it to China?