First of all I have to warn you, if you have never read any
of my race reports I am a ‘talker’, I like to go through the pre-race, race and
even post race sometimes at great length, so you might need to grab a coffee if
you are willing to seat through this one.
Let me start by saying I was not borne with an inch of fast
twitch muscle in me. Like my ex swimming coach used to say I only have one
speed, that is why it was not surprising to see me PR on my 200m or 400m
freestyle on my way to my 800m main event. Not only I was not ‘naturally
gifted’ with it I just DON’T like it, probably that is why I dread track/speed
workouts, anaerobic to me = near death experience. Also, that is why you wont
see me toeing the start line of many 10K races or sprint tris, Olympics are a
bit different but anything shorter than that is a stretch.
I have done this race four years in a row now, this year I
really wanted to do one of the more popular ones, either the Charles Harris or
the Chattahoochee 10K, unfortunately things didn’t work out and I was once
again registering for the Jog For a Cause race. My kids’ pediatrician puts this
one together every year (this was their 9th) and it always feels
good to race for a good cause (all funds go to childhood cancer).
It also happened to coincide that this was my recovery week,
don’t be fooled by the label, looking at my training plan I realized that there
was not much of a difference other than removing 1hr Z2 bike on Thursday, an
hour of my long bike and 30min from my total runs. My legs didn’t feel that
good the whole week and I really had no idea what to expect, it is always hard to
do so on the first race of the season. I have been feeling really good on my
runs, but I haven’t been wearing my Garmin (other than 2 or 3 times on my long
runs), I don’t want to get caught up on paces and numbers, like Jeremy (my
coach) says, at the end of the day what matters is race day.
The day before the race I had a not so pleasant encounter
with my friend the scale, I weigh in every now and then, especially during race
season when weight is not something that worries me. Up until now I knew as
soon as I got serious (AKA not eating junk) the extra winter layer comes off,
it usually is a pound a week until I reach my ‘healthy race weight’. I had not
weigh in for a while but I knew I was on good track (or so I thought), I felt
good and the ‘pudginess’ from the extra weight I carry on this winter was
slowly disappearing. Well, Friday morning I decided to step on the scale and I
almost had a heart attack, obviously I need to make it more of a habit to check
my weight, and while not dieting cause I need to make sure I have enough energy
to get me through this last block I need to get rid of some of these pounds,
otherwise it becomes absurd, we spend all this time training and I am not going
to waste it by eating my way to race season.
So, I knew that I was almost 5lbs heavier than last year for
this race… def not a confidence booster the day before a race but I made a
decision not to think about that and just concentrate on the fact that I have
been working on my run.
Race morning I had my coffee, Cliff bar and ½ of a banana
and sipped on water until the race start. Last year I was very conservative on
the first loop; the race offers a 5K and 10K distance, we all start at the same
time but those running the 5K start 0.1miles behind those the ones doing the 10K.
Basically 10Kers do two loops, 5K one. This year I wanted to be more
aggressive, I wanted to break 42’ and I knew that if I wanted to do so I needed
to have a stronger first loop. I figure if I blew it, at least I made the
effort and at that point I could work on another of my areas of opportunity…
the mental struggle once you are spent, as we all know this can go either way
and there isn’t a better feeling than knowing that you were spent but mentally
you kept pushing and didn’t give up.
As me and Elaine got on the front for the start I saw a
younger girl to my left and she looked like she could be a good runner. Next
thing we know someone started yelling ‘go, go, go’ apparently the guy with the
microphone was somewhere in the middle of the two packs and we couldn’t hear
the start. By the time we hit the first mile marker I was already panting and
breathing heavily, but surprisingly enough my legs felt good, so I kept going.
Around mile 2 I heard Elaine cheering on Katie June (she was doing the 5K), it
was pretty ironic to think that the three of us where there and brought
memories of the last two years in Tugaloo when Katie blew by me on the run. So
I tried to stay as close to her as possible, when she took the turn for the finish
Shute I was SOOOO jealous, a second later I realize I was in trouble.
Last year I remember seeing the finish line and thinking ‘ok
Carmen, you got this, one more loop’, this year was more like ‘OH no, one more
loop!!’, I had to break the second loop on small fragments cause mentally I was
spent. I was determine to use as much positive thinking as I could to get me
through it, I started thinking on IM and how I couldn’t give up. The last mile
or so is always tough because you catch up with the 5K walkers and have to zig
zag your way through, I crossed the finish line 11” slower than my PR last year
at 42:58.
All in all I felt AWESOME, not only I was done which is a
biggy, I was able to stay positive through the rough patches. I came to the
race not knowing what to expect, and it was an eye opener as to what I need to
keep working on, great beginning of the season and definitely put some fire in
me to nail this last block before NOLA 70.3.
Come to find out the younger girl ran 40 and change putting
me second in the female field.
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