As most of you know Kellie and I were training for a 10 K. It was a 7 week training schedule and we did it in 4 and didn't really follow it all that well. Regardless, we set a goal time of 1:10.
May 5, 2013 was the race day. Kellie and I drove downtown and hung out in Churchill wondering where all the racers were. (It was apparently a small race) We participated in the Jazzercise warm-up and killed ourselves laughing at the men trying to do it (Anyone that knows Kellie and I together can just imagine the scene we were making laughing at people) About half way in to the Jazzercise I wondered what this woman's intention was cause I was tired. Why the hell were we doing a hardcore workout just prior to the race?! We pulled out, stretched on our own and watched everyone tire out. HA!
I made sure to call my good friend Mike Brown a few days before the race ( Ultra Man and Iron Man finisher and owner of The Great White North Triathlon *plug*). He gave us some good advice such as what to eat and how to run the race. What he emphasized most was "run your own race." He reminded us not to get caught up in the hype and run at a regulated pace the whole race, picking it up in the end if feeling good.
Sure enough, we got off the start line with everyone passing us, I think there were two people behind us....but we were "running our own race" and keeping our pace. Then a little down the way, we see some walkers....we even had one guy sprint past us all athletic and shit and then we saw him walking about 6 K in. We left him in the dust. ;) The hills were tough and we all know how much I like hills...Ugh. I would rather run stairs for 5 hours straight than do hills. We finished the hills and picked up the pace a bit. We ended up finishing at 1.08. I was dying. Kellie acted like she didn't even run a step. (She is in insane shape).
I was pretty happy with that time but would definitely like to improve it. I guess that requires more consistent training. : ) I also had to go out and immediately buy new shoes. I tried to get away with wearing the same ones for a year...not a good idea...their time had come. So now I got me some real nice new shoes to run for the summer in. YAY!
We have looked at some other 10 K's and some trail runs...I always find summer training hard, especially with so much going on. I hope to start long runs again on Sundays and keep up training that way, increasing distance and speed and maybe do a run in the fall. Thanks to Kellie for being my running buddy and dealing with my exhaustion on the last 1 K. : )
Half Marathon next year? I think so. : )
