Race Re-Cap: Recycled 10k, May 6, 2018
I am just going to cut to the chase here, because after over 24 hours of beating myself up, I can’t change what happened. I can’t go back and push myself any harder. I can only move forward.
You can’t control what happens on race day.
My nerves were high. Like ridiculously high. I joked with my husband as he drove me to the start that it was dumb for me to feel this nervous, it’s not like I was going to get into the Olympics at this race. But I trained hard and wanted to do well. When I get dropped off, I decide to do a little warm up. I had some time to spare, about 50 minutes. I actually never do a warm up before a race, but I figured something to wake up the muscles couldn’t hurt. I ran out 5 minutes and back 5 minutes, did a few strides and called it good. Then I just kind of mulled around. I went to the restroom, twice. I ate a Gu. I drank some water. I got my running buff wet. I set up my headphones. I picked a playlist. They called all the 10k racers down to the start line. I started my music, my apple watch, and my Runkeeper app. Off we went.
Mile 1:
I started off feeling good. The weather was about 75* but the sun was not tucked behind the clouds yet so it was hot. I got into my pace and tried to hold on. I had a lady wearing pink sticking with me to my left and thought “okay, cool, we can do this together!” There were some switchbacks and an incline in the first mile and my pace started to slow, Pink Lady pushed on past me. I was like well, there goes my running buddy.
Pace - 9:33
Mile 2:
There was an aid station right at the end of mile one. I walk through it and grab some water. I start to run again and my legs feel like lead. They are heavy. They hurt. I walk for more than I care to admit. I am feeling discouraged. I text my husband saying that I want to quit. I see Pink Lady ahead of me and start running again. By this time I know that I blew my goal and was probably blowing my PR, too. Mantras weren’t working. Nothing was working. I was defeated. But I kept moving forward.
Pace – 11:28
Mile 3:
I was still going uphill and it felt SO TOUGH. But the sun finally went behind some clouds and I immediately felt relief from the heat. The music I had chosen was not something I would normally listen to and I hated it. The headphones I was wearing were my husband’s and I had only ran with them once before. I was so irritated at everything. I changed the music to something familiar. The headphones started falling out due to sweat, so I put my buff on my head and over them to keep them in. I knew that once I got through mile three that I could turn around and run downhill and away from the disaster that was the first three miles of this race. I walked a little bit more, got to the air station/turn around where I caught back up to Pink Lady. I took some electrolytes and started my way back down the hill.
Pace – 10:54
Mile 4:
I took the EFF off once I turned around. I was trying to make up lost time. I was trying to make myself feel strong again. I just wanted to go back and re-do this race start but since that wasn’t possible I could only do what I should have been doing this whole time and put in the work. I walk a bit at the aid station and grab some water before starting mile 5. Pink Lady was losing momentum behind me and I kept looking back for her. But I think I had lost her.
Pace – 9:20
Mile 5:
I just kept chugging along. I had two more miles. I thought about one workout that I had where I did my T Pace for two miles and even though it sucked, I did it. I felt stronger than I had the whole race. I get to the last aid station and grabbed my last bit of water. ONE. MORE. MILE.
Pace – 9:41
Mile 6:
Back through the switchbacks which felt easier. Passing walkers who I think were doing the 5k. Passing guys that I was trailing with along the way. Running as fast as my legs would let me go. I heard my 5.5 mile cue and knew that I missed my goal, but I kept pushing. There was still a chance at a PR. I hit 6 miles at 59:50 according to my Runkeeper app. WOMP. The last bit of this race you had to run up a damn zigzag handicap ramp (RUDE) and into the finish. Waiting for me was my husband and brother-in-law, camera in hand. I pulled out a smile because if I am not happy while running, then why am I doing this? I was defeated. I was sad. I was disappointed. But I was able to get out there and DO IT. And I can get out there and do it again and again and again. So I smiled.
Pace – 9:06
Overall:
I overestimated so many things – the weather, the elevation, how much I do not believe in myself…. I feel like the heat and the sun were the first factor that got me down, then after that I couldn’t get myself motivated, then after that EFF that stupid small hill (didn’t it know that I destroyed a mountain a few months ago?!). But what can I do? Learn and move forward. That’s it.
Things I did before/during this race that I normally don’t do:
- Beet Juice shot
- Wear shorts that allow my thighs to touch
- Listen to music
- Listen to music I don’t even usually listen to
- Wear husband’s earbuds
- Warm up run/strides
After:
I ran into Pink Lady and she said that she was trying to stay with me and got disappointed when I slowed down. Then she mentioned how she never walked as much during any other race, and it made me feel better. They had some laptops set up so you could get a print out of your official time, so I popped over there and my time wasn’t coming up. I didn’t care that much to talk to someone about it, so we headed out to the car where I had a margarita in a can waiting for me (you’re so surprised, right?). Well, here I am over 24 hours after the race and I *still* don’t have my official time! There are about 40 people missing their times from the results page. I have emailed the race director and the company doing the time results. The race director got back to me that they will get me my time ASAP. That was this morning and nothing has changed. So I don’t know what my actual time is. Yes, I was using my watch and my phone but I’m not pro and starting or stopping on time. So I know that I PR’d, I just don’t know the exact time.
Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. This is a great group of people and I am glad to have you around!