Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler (1:15.57)

While in Hawaii, I was unsure if I wanted to run the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler. Not because I heard terrible things (I hadn’t) but because it started at 6 am, and I was enjoying sleeping in. I planned to get 20 miles on one of the days we were in Hawaii. I am a little nervous about the Los Angeles marathon being hot, so Hawaii was a perfect time to run 20 miles in the heat and humidity.

Before the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler:

I signed up for the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler a day or two before. I knew it would be much smaller than the Great Aloha Run 8-Mile Race, but honestly, that was fine. I love a good small race! Even the day before, I was still deciding if I wanted to wake up at 3:45 am. It certainly did not help that we slept until 5:30 most other days. My alarm went off at 3:45, and I crawled out of bed. I was exhausted when I got out of bed, which was wild because I got over 8 hours of sleep. We headed to the race around 4:30 and got to Kailua around 5:10. It was pitch black in the area, and I thought, how will I warm up? I almost didn’t because I was uncomfortable with the darkness and rooted roads. Due to trees, the pavement was uneven. I ended up doing just under 2 miles around an 11-minute pace. I didn’t feel good at all.

Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10-Miler Race:

We lined up at the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler start and went off. It didn’t have a mat, so while the end was chip timing, everyone started when the gun went off. It’s been a while since I’ve done one of those. We started in the pitch black, and I was super conservative and slightly uncomfortable. I didn’t want to fall. It wasn’t smooth pavement, so the uneven bumps were everywhere. Many people passed me as we went off for the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler. It was dark, and I had no idea how fast I was running.

My first mile went off and beeped at 7:44. I was happy. My goal was not to go crazy in a ten miler race but to feel good for all 20 miles. The next mile of the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler was my least favorite simply because it went on a narrow path in the pitch black. I had one person in front of me but kept it conservative. I could not see anything, and I worried about falling. It was the most uneven terrain, and I was so nervous. I ran an 8:03 mile. I wasn’t surprised, but I wasn’t that excited to run an 8 min mile.

As we continued with the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler, I slowly started feeling better. We went up a hill with a great ocean and beach view. I ran with a few people, and my miles were progressively getting faster. It was surprising to everyone, including me. I ran a 7:44 for mile 3 while completely stopping to get water. Since the roads weren’t closed, the water stops were out of the way on the shoulder or grass. It wasn’t a big deal, and I valued hydration over a few seconds faster. Then I ran a 7:40 for the next mile. It was scenic and quiet.

Around mile 5 of the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler, we headed towards town. I saw people returning (I think they were running the 5k). I had no idea what kind of hills we had left (if any). The race wasn’t flat but it wasn’t too hilly either. I hit mile 5 around 39 minutes. I told myself I would be happy if I could do 1:18. I think on a perfect day (or Broad Street in April), I could be under 1:10, but that was not that day. I passed one woman on a hill between miles 6 and 7.

It finally got light, and I noticed I was beginning to pass people, which always motivates me. I also noticed my miles were slowly getting faster. I probably needed a longer warm-up, but I also don’t do well running in the dark. Between miles 7 and 8, it torrentially downpoured. I knew rain was a possibility, but this was heavy rain! It did feel nice.

We began a few small rolling hills as we headed back into town. I ran a 7:28 mile 8 of the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler. After we hit mile 8, I told myself just 15 minutes to go. I ran with a pack of dudes, and we all began pushing harder.

I ran mile 9 in 7:21 and thought wow, my fastest mile yet. At mile 10, I told myself to just push.. So I did. I powered with another guy to the finish, ran a 7:13 next mile, and finished in 1:15.57.

After that, I ran eight more miles around a 9-minute pace to conclude a 20-mile day. I don’t love running that much after a race, but I wanted to get 20 for the day with the LA Marathon right around the corner. It honestly didn’t feel too bad.

Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler Thoughts:

I’m happy with the Hawaii Running Lab Kailua 10 Miler results. It was a hot and humid day. I have such an excellent progression negative split. Plus, after eight days of enjoying myself and walking a ton, I didn’t expect to feel as good as I did. I think I was 5th overall and 1st in my age group. I was also happy to feel good post-race and be able to run another 8 miles.