This past Monday (Labor Day) was the first of three scheduled season finale Target Races in September.  This was my 7th time running this 10K race (nearly half).

 

I came off a rough work week in NJ and with an aggravated right knee (tendinitis) from mis-stepping in an indentation along the path during a run last week.  I iced it and took some ibuprofen (Vit-I) throughout the weekend to help mitigate the risk of race day problems.

 

I was hoping that I would have a decent running to validate the running work that I have done this year, despite it showing up in my triathlons to date.  I know I'm much more capable than what my times have shown, but not sure exactly how capable.  Most of my 10K efforts over the past few years have been general disappointments being average or worse performances.

 

My goal was to ideally run sub-41:00 (something I haven't done since this race back in 2004 when I ran 40:58, my second best overall 10K), but at least better than my average 10K time (42:18, also something I haven't done in some time).

 

It was cool on race morning, but quickly heating up as the sun came out at start time (8:30).  My rough plan was to run 6:40 for the first two miles, then 6:30's for the next three, then try to push it from there.  Nice idea...

 

When the gun went off, all my pent up worry and energy took off like a rocket, apparently.  I felt extremely comfortable and even tried holding back a bit as the pack took off.  I clocked a 6:03 first mile!  (Yikes!)

 

This was not necessarily the split I wanted to hear.  I either was going to run the 10K of my life or really pay the piper... I purposely tried to slow it up a bit to play it safe.  I clocked 6:33 at mile 2, and tried to maintain that pace (to get on the plan) over the long straight stretch.  However, I started to feel a little dizzy with the sun in my eyes, and the early mile slowly catching up to me.

 

Mile 3 was not encouraging after hearing a 6:42 split.  I was slowing down, despite my efforts to relax, run comfortably hard, and trying to maintain pace.  I buckled down to salvage Mile 4 to be tagged with a 6:47.  Ouch... this is not going to be an ideal race or finish.

 

I had to resist the onset of disappointment of the present situation as well as resist the temptation to criticize my training and start mentally disciplining myself for not being as prepared or ready for this race as I had hoped or should have been... and that was not easy, if I even succeeded at resisting ("... resistance is futile").

 

As I struggled my way to stay with two guys that had passed me I was presented with another heavy split of 6:57.  I roughly calculated in my head that this was a painful way to an average average pace easily maintainable by a smarter plan/start with a strong finish outlook.  This was going to be ugly.

 

The second female in the race passed me at the 5 Mile marker and I tried to go with her, but didn't last long.  I was resolved to trail behind her by about 20 yards to the next mile marker in 7:05.

 

I had to dig down deep.  I managed to muster a 1:22 last .2 mi split (6:50 pace) finishing in 41:32 (6:41).  I didn't break 41:00, but I did manage to run a new AG PR and improve upon my previous one of 42:53 ran exactly 6 months to the day earlier (1:21 improvement).  I also managed to run under my current average race pace.  Ultimately, this was my 7th fastest 10K, and my 3rd fastest at this race.  I finished 19/110 OA, 17/72 Male, and 7/13 in my AG (the top 3 overall finishers were in my AG).

 

I know I can be very hard on myself when evaluating performances.  As I've said before I don't like to come across as "the glass is half empty" kind of person, but I just know that there is more potential in there that I have not been able to bring out.

 

In an attempt to stay positive.  Considering the work stress and impact on my life over the past 2 months with all the travel, long hours, and incomplete rest, I have to be encouraged with the outcome.  Despite going out way to fast, and being admittedly out of practice on running-only races, I made significant progress towards approaching my last strong running year (2004).

 

The triathlon training has definitely introduced a lot of new challenges that I have to learn to sort out and manage.  Overall, I feel like I've really grown a lot this year and developed physically this year.  I have to be patient and consistent and continue to move forward.

 

Epilogue:

 

I have been extremely sore the past few days, and it looks like I will possibly be running in a relay at USAF as a back up.  ...I will not race it (i.e. push really hard) but I will choose a steady, comfortably hard tempo pace to stay sharp for the season finale triathlon.  This week however, I will likely continue spinning on the stationary bike in the fitness center to flush out the lactic acid build up.

 

 

Keep running (while I recover)...

- BK.