There is a lot that has to happen in the next three months. It's all scary. It's going to be hard. It's going to hurt. I am probably going to sit down in the middle of it and refuse to get back up. There will probably be tears.
But, one day, I will be able to look back and see how far I have come. It's been a rough year for running. My reality cracked a little this spring and my training suffered. It was a hard spring and running became a job, not a joy. It got hard. I got slower. I didn't look forward to it. I forgot why I liked to run. Then things changed....in life and in running. I got a coach to help me reach some goals. I started to enjoy it again. But, I wasn't seeing any progress. I started to think that there was no way I was going to be able to do it. I thought I had set my sights too high.
Coach told me to find a shorter distance to race. We found a local 10K that I had never run before.
We set a race plan. Then, I asked him if we could change it a little. He agreed. I knew that I needed a 1:14 finish time to show that I have a chance of reaching my goal pace. I knew that because I have been here before. A 10K (6.2 miles) is a distance that can predict a half marathon time. It's a distance that you can use to submit a time for a RunDisney race. I am well acquainted with that requirement. I just didn't think I could do it. I haven't been close in a long time.
I got downtown to the race about an hour early. I found a great parking spot and hooked up with some friends. I saw Coach on the way to the start. We talked about the race plan and if I felt like I had it in me for the day. I assured him that I did. I tried something new and exciting at this race. I ran before it started. Yep...I was that person that normal people look at and think, "Why are you running before you have to run?" Apparently, a warm-up run (only 5 minutes...not too long and not too fast) makes you run faster during the race. Don't worry...I questioned the logic myself when I was already a little sweaty before the race even started.
So, a few minutes before the start time, the race director announced that there would be a short delay. I was on a time crunch and really couldn't afford the delay. (Kid #3 had a 9:30 soccer game. The race started at 8 and was about 20 minutes away from the game. On a perfect day, I had just enough time to run and get to the game on time.) It was going to be close.
At 8:10, the race started and we were off. Coach warned me that there would be lots of turns in the first 3 miles. There were. The plan was to try 90 second/30 second run/walk intervals. I ran the first 1/2 mile or so until the crowds thinned out and then I started the intervals. For the first 3 miles, this worked out really well. 90 seconds was long enough to get some speed (relative...speed is relative) and some distance, but not so long that I was willing the watch to beep. At the beginning, 30 seconds was just long enough to recover and be ready to run again. As I kept going, it got harder to recover in 30 seconds, but I stuck with it. Somewhere along the way, I noticed that my Garmin wasn't matching the mile markers on the course. I was hitting the mile markers about 1/4 mile before the Garmin did. I kept plugging away and made the turn for the final 1/2 mile or so before the finish line. Coach had said to try 2/:30 intervals at the end of the race if it was feeling good. It wasn't feeling good, but I did it anyway. I had something to prove.
I crossed the finish line at 1:14:37. I had done it! (Aside....the course was 1/4 mile short. We took a wrong turn somewhere. I probably would have been in the area of 1:17 for a true 10K. Either way, I pretty much crushed that race.)
The course was nice, but not much to write home about. It was through city streets. There were some pretty moments, but nothing I would consider "scenic." There were a few wrinkles - the late start, the short course to name a few - but they were communicated and well handled by the race director. Things go wrong. It happens. Packet pick up was seamless. There was amazing support on the course. Not a ton of spectators, but over 100 volunteers at street corners making sure that everyone was doing okay. There were 3 water stops, which were more than enough. There were also bands situated along the course, which is always nice. (Side note...the heavy metal band right outside the Opera House made me chuckle....it just didn't fit. But, I appreciated them being out there.) There was a cute medal and an amazing after party. The vibe was great. I am looking forward to next year.
Next up is the Crawling Crab. It's the goal race for the fall. It's the race I have been training for. After the Crab, all focus goes to the marathon. I'm not sure what's going to happen. I just know that I've got to give it everything I have for 13.1 miles. :) 2 weeks left!
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