2009 Bridge Run - The quest for the sub 50 minute race

Okay, so it's finally here. All the training, all the bad luck with injuries and illness, all the good luck (with weather and time/sheduling issues)...all that's behind and it's time for the race.

The sub 50 minute 10K goal is met: 6.2 miles in 47.88 (47:53) w/ an avg HR of 181.

Woo!

Here's how it went down:

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1st mile in 8.03 @ 169 - Okay, I'm feeling okay about this time. It's the first mile, I'm not perfectly warmed up because of all the waiting around, and there's lots of jockeying around for position this early in the race. This is only a little bit off of target pace.

2nd mile in 8.62 @ 180 - This time completely deflates me. I can't believe my eyes when I see it, because I feel like I'm running pretty good. HR is elevated, I'm not dealing with jackrabbits in the way, and my running form is stretched out and about where I want it. The only thing that's difficult is the last quarter of this mile is actually going up the bridge, so there's a good stretch uphill (with a headwind). Still, at this point, given my perceived level-of-effort, I'm sure my 50 min goal is just plain shot as I am clearly not feeling it today for whatever reason (cold, etc).

3rd mile in 7.18 @ 185 - What's this? A 7.18 min/mile? Most of that UP the bridge hill? What? I guess we're back on again! 50 min goal is once again achievable! Seriously, this mile did wonders for my confidence after that 2nd mile #. (In hindsight, I think that the mile markers must have been a little off - i.e. Mile 2 was probably carrying about 5-10% of mile 3's distance - there's just no way that there would be this much of a disparity between my splits). Note - On the bridge, I spotted an older (50's) guy wearing a tshirt saying "Oxygen is overrated - Run the blah-blah-blah Mountain race." Well, I guess O2 isn't quite *that* overrated, since I passed him at some point and didn't see him again.

4th mile in 7.22 @ 182 - A large part of this was the downhill of the bridge, but that's still a solid split that's giving more continued confidence. Suddenly, having made up all the deficit I incurred on the 1st & 2nd miles on the 3rd, and gaining 38 seconds on this 4th mile...the 50 min goal is readily in hand and I'm considering 49 minutes? 48 minutes?? Note - Coming down the long downhill stretch of the hill, I noticed the combover guy from my neighborhood running along the left hand side. Either he jumped out ahead at the beginning, or he was just way in front of me in line, but I only now caught up to him. As I steadily reeled him in, I had every intention of looking for his bib number as I passed, but before I knew it he was gone and I was down off the bridge and into Charleston proper.

5th mile in 7.70 @ 183 - After I hit the 4 mile marker, I made a conscious effort to back off a little and conserve a little energy. This mile was the result of that. I usually have trouble in the downtown sections, mostly because you're coming off that long downhill section where it's fast and breezy and nice...into the muggy and flat and enclosed streets of downtown. So, I backed off a little bit to save for that last mile and 2/10ths. My mantra at this point was "you can tolerate anything for 15 minutes," which was about the time I estimated I had left in the race. 50 minutes was a given, now I was definitely shooting for 49 and beyond.

6th mile in 7.43 @ 184 - This was a tough mile, but the break was over and it was time to buckle down and get to work. At one point, I tried my mind-trick of counting every right step, but I only did that for 30 seconds or so before I got bored and stopped. My mantra switched to "you can survive anything for 10 minutes." I don't remember any runners or spectators around me, they were all just a vague image in the fog of my pounding head. I do remember thinking "I could slow down to a 9 minute pace on this one and still hit 50 minutes." Good thing I didn't. At one point, I noticed a camera guy on a cat walk above Meeting St and I pointed at him to see if he'd take my picture.

.20 mile in 1.52 (7.60 pace) @ 186 - When I crossed the 6th mile marker and saw my split, I was convinced I could do 48 minutes. I couldn't even remember the specific reward Jen had promised for that time goal (and completely forgot a key part of it when I relayed it to Dawn later), but I am soooo glad I had that additional goal specified as otherwise I might have just been satisfied with 50 minutes and given into the pain a mile and a half ago. On the final left turn, a pack of runners that were cutting the corner collided and a man practically ran over a kid and cursed at him in the process. Nice move, jackass. After I rounded the corner and could read the time board way down at the finish line, I estimated I had about 30 seconds to get there and beat 48 minutes. I turned it on as best I could. I thought I was moving pretty fast until this 20 year old kid flew past me on the right in a dead out sprint. I don't know if I could run that fast at the beginning of a run...dude must've been saving some serious energy for the end. I crossed the line in 23 of the 30 seconds I had and immediately slowed to a walk. A guy on the right was bent over at the sidewalk and (I think) hurling. Wasn't the 20 year old kid though.

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Post Race - I walked down the finish chute and by the time I reached the stop light I was pretty much recovered. I even jogged a little towards the sweat shuttles since I wanted to hurry and start gathering freebies. I stopped on the way and grabbed a couple of Vitamin Waters that were being handed out and guzzled one immediately. Made it up to the sweat shuttles and noticed that the normal freebie fair area was empty so I figured they must have moved that into the regular expo area. Gathered my bag up and got things sort of situated, estimated I had about 20 minutes til Dawn showed up so I headed over to get some freebies.

There was a 30 yard line waiting for the Clif bar tent, so I got into that and got some of those and the oreos and graham crackers they were giving away. I saw a Red Bull tent in the distance and headed that way. Grabbed a banana and some water and choked both down.

Waited for Dawn for a while but we apparently missed each other because she said she was waiting for me for at least 15 minutes. Ate a free lara bar while I waited for her and drank a water a girl next to me offered because it was extra. Was worried a little about Dawn and called Jen to see if maybe she had heard from her, she hadn't but was about 20 minutes out of Chas so there was no need to hurry.

Finally spotted Dawn and she was excited because she met her goal of running the whole race. Didn't know what her time was though (she ended up doing great and running a sub 11-min-mile).

We hung around for a little while and then made the long walk down to Waterfront park to meet up with everyone. (Note - Rent one of those bike rickshaw things next year to carry us instead of walking.)

We had absolutely gorgeous weather (temp around 60 at the start of the race and a perfectly clear sky) and I wore a short sleeved running tee, shorts, my Brooks shoes, and the Halo headband. The headband worked pretty well as I don't remember wiping sweat out of my eyes but maybe one time.

10 miles at Riverfront - LSD

10 miles at 9.35 pace w/ avg HR of 154

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I'm not going to bother breaking out all 10 miles here. Basically, I started off really slow 10.22 min/miles and finished up fairly strong at right around 9 min/miles.

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That's pretty much what I wanted out of the run. I started out the first half by pushing D in the stroller with Ollie on the side. Then, after 5, I handed them off to Jen and ran the final 5 mile loop by myself.

Digression: It's funny the disparity with how people react to you when you're with dog or with child...you get all kinds of smiles and greetings when you're pushing a stroller...or especially if you have a dog...and even moreso with a "gadget" the way I have Ollie hooked up on the stroller. But when I'd pass the exact same people without kid or dog...they wouldn't even give so much as a sideways glance. Too funny.

Anyway, I purposely kept my HR in the 150's on this run and, incidentally, averaged the same HR as my 5 mile LSD back on 2/22, but with a little more speed.

This was a distance PR, btw. The longest run in my 10k training schedule and the farthest I expect to go until I potentially start marathon training in August.

Now begins the taper.

9.50m LSD on LostCreek and other neighborhoods

9.5 m at 8.92 pace w/ avg HR of 158

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1st mile in 8.37 @ 153

2nd mile in 9.10 @ 162

3rd mile in 8.92 @ 158

4th mile in 9.03 @ 161 - Trying to keep the HR low and in the 150's

5th mile in 9.10 @ 157

6th mile in 9.10 @ 156

7th mile in 9.03 @ 159

8th mile in 8.68 @ 155 - Downhill portion on LC

9th mile and remaining in 13.38 (8.92 pace) @ 163 - Remainder of LC and a lap at the clubhouse

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This was the LSD run in the week, and like yesterday, I had to fit it in between raining spells. Didn't work out too well as the latter half of of the run was in a steady rain. Like last week though, it actually invigorated me despite the mid 50ish temps and the fact I was only wearing a tank-top and shorts.

The course was Lost Creek, then one of the neighborhood, then a gravel road "shortcut" that included a creek-crossing and a loooong and steeeeep uphill, then the normal route home.

This was another distance PR, btw.

9 miles on LostCreek - LT

9 miles in 8.43 pace w/ avg HR of 170

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1st mile in 8.55 @ 150

2nd mile in 8.50 @ 168

3rd mile in 8.43 @ 172

4th mile in 8.57 @ 173

5th mile in 8.38 @ 173

6th mile in 8.38 @ 173

7th mile in 8.20 @ 173 - Loving that HR consistency

8th mile in 8.32 @ 171

9th mile in 8.57 @ 175

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This was a new distance PR for me, eclipsing the one I set a week ago (I expect to eclipse this one next Saturday 3/14).

I felt fine during this LT run and had good energy at the end of it. Weather was great, sunny and in the mid 50's at the start of the run. I was comfortable in shorts and a sleeveless running shirt. Pace was pretty much where I wanted it to be and I really felt like I could continue on at that pace for another 4 miles at least (i.e. a half-marathon).

8.21 m on New Route (to parents' house) - LSD

8.21 m at 9.01 pace w/ avg HR of 161

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1st mile in 8.17 @ 152 - This was quite a bit faster than I had in mind, but in fairness, it was the first mile and it was mostly downhill.

2nd mile in 8.50 @ 167

3rd mile in 9.03 @ 161 - This is about where I wanted to be on this run.

4th mile in 9.03 @ 164 - More of the same.

5th mile in 9.03 @ 160 - Ditto

6th mile in 9.57 @ 162 - While not "bonking" per se, I'm starting to feel the effects of some unfamiliar hills and the long run from the day before. Pace is still fine, and I'm taking a few walk breaks when the HR spikes.

7th mile in 9.45 @ 163

8th mile in 9.40 @ 162

extra in 1.73 (8.24 pace) @ 160

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This was a new distance record for me. The route was pretty good and had some decent hills, I'd do this one again. Temp was in the low 40's and drizzling. It was actually raining on the first mile or so and I considered heading back as a long run in the cold rain was not exactly what I wanted. Good thing I stuck it out because the rain stopped altogether and that particular hour + block of time was the only non-raining period in the entire day.