Anna’s Angels 5k and 10-miler is a run that benefits children with Down’s Syndrome. I signed up because my training schedule planned for me to run 10 miles this weekend, and it seemed like a good way to run 10 miles.
However, i have had the flu and have not run for 2 weeks. The last run i did was a measly 3 miles. But, yesterday, my coughing had diminished, and i decided what the hell, i will get up and try to run the 10 miles.
At home: The alarm went off at 6 am. We had been out late watching Ohio State win yet another game, so i was tired. At first i thought i would just go back to sleep, but i did eventually get up. Breakfast was a protein shake, a boiled egg and a plum. The drive to RTP took half as long as it normally does.
Pre-race: I signed in and got my timing chip, then went back to the car to deposit my free t-shirt. I had seen no one with an ipod, so i left that in the car, but did grab my Fuel Belt with my gatorade. There would be several water stations along the way, but i’d have my own liquid if i needed it. At the starting line, a fitness instructor from a local gym tried to get everybody to do jumping jacks and other assorted cheesy warm-ups while listening to Oakenfold’s “Ready, Steady, Go” (better known to me as The Song In Collateral Where Tom Cruise Shoots Everyone In The Night Club). And then, we were off!
Mile 1: The first mile of a race is always too fast or too slow. Too fast if you are towards the front with the fast runners who are passing you and subconsciously you run faster than your normal pace. Too slow if you are further back because the mass of bodies just doesn’t move quickly until everyone thins out. This time i was running too fast in the first mile. The first mile of any run is generally hard as you find a comfortable pace and get into the groove of working out. This one was no different.
Mile 2: Mostly downhill. And shady. I don’t fully appreciate the shade at this point, because it is early and i don’t know that massive sunshine is in my future. But it’s nice. People around me are still chatting with each other. We run by TimeOut, the tavern poker bar we sometimes go to on Wednesday nights. I wave.
Mile 3: The first water station is about midway through mile 3 and i make a deal with myself that i can’t take a walk break until the water station. Despite the hills just preceeding it. I prevail. But as i’m walking and drinking, i wonder if this has been such a good idea.
Mile 4: Sunshine. Hot. Hills. The hills are often of the type that you probably wouldn’t even recognize if you were in a car. I assure you, they suck. Towards the end of mile 4, we make a turn at a busy intersection and i hear a cop say “i think that’s the end of the race back at the top of that hill.” I look behind me, and there is ONE PERSON behind me, a good ways back. ONE. You mean i’m second to last?!? Where did all the people go? Then i recall that the 5k people would have broken off a long time ago to return to the finish, and i just didn’t notice when that happened.
Mile 5: I move into the next gear. A gear i didn’t even really know i had. The second water station is at 4.8 miles, and i ran like i was being chased for all the .8 miles to the water. It was still in the goddamn sun, but it was all wonderfully downhill or flat. I took a break to have some water, but i still made it through all of mile 5 in just under 10 minutes, including the walk/water break. That may not sound fast to some, by my usual pace is about 11:30 minutes per mile. Anyway, i passed about 7 people and was no longer second to last.
Mile 6: More sun. Back to my usual slow pace. I’m keenly aware that even if i quit now, i still have to walk 5 miles back to my car. Shit. My feet start to hurt and i can feel some blisters forming on my toes. It’s so hot. I take a break and eat one of the energy gels, hoping it will come in useful later.
Mile 7: Another water station. This time i douse myself with the water instead of drink it. More sun. I’m sick of the sun and wishing i had worn sunscreen. Not that it would matter as i probably would have sweated it off. This mile is the most uphill so far and i am cursing the hills. I meet a 10 year old girl with red hair named Veronica, and we talk each other up one of the hills.
Mile 8: 3 more miles, which would sound easy to me if i hadn’t just run 7 miles already. I don’t care about finishing last anymore and take a couple of walk breaks. The sun is still beating down. Veronica has long passed me by. My feet still hurt.
Mile 9: Another water station. At an intersection, i tell one of the cops i am miserable. He says i’m almost done and don’t quit. More sun. My feet are almost numb.
Mile 10: Finally, some shade! One of the volunteers brings more good news - it’s shady all the way to the finish! I try to recall some of the speed and vigor from mile 5, but i’ve got nothing left. I even have to stop and walk up a couple of short hills, even though i know the finish must be close. When i see the tops of the tents and see people milling about, i know the end is near. I summon the energy to sprint to the end, but it’s not there. Instead i jog across the finish at my normal 11:30 pace.
After: Since i was so near the end, i hung around to cheer on those that were behind me. I had passed a few more people along the way, and it took about 15 minutes for them all to finish. We are all awesome for running 10 friggin miles! I started coughing when i stopped running, which is odd. I HAVE been sick, so i guess it was related to that.
Later: It’s evening now, and my knees hurt something fierce, which is a new pain for me. My feet do have a few blisters, but nothing serious. I managed not to cough through Man of La Mancha this afternoon. I am going to bed early to night and plan to sleep long and hard.
Stats from the Garmin:
Distance: 9.54 mi
Elapsed time: 1:48:19
Avg pace: 11:21/mi
Avg speed: 5.3 mph
Calories: 1304
I actually crossed the finish line at 1:58:20 - the Garmin stops clocking me when i slow down too much. Looks like i walked for about half a mile (10 minutes) out of 10 miles. Not bad!
