Much respect to the 10k, while it it daunting to many at first it becomes less so when you move on to the longer races, Half Marathon/Marathon/Ironman...
With that said, there is something that I have always found hard to do and that is push to the limit, and I think taking it back to the shorter distance is the key for getting past that. This year is a little different, this is the early season, and I have only just started my official training plan. This year the goal is speed, and I am re-learning how to run with that goal in mind. My only thought when it comes to race day is to leave nothing on the course except sweat, and dust. Push to the limit, because that is the only way I can find it.
On to the race report.
Sunday February 9th 2011.
The morning started early enough, the race start time was at 8:30 am in the Historic Fort Langley site. This year they staggered the start times, a sure sign that this event is still continuing to grow after 7 years.
I watched my friend Sean and his group of Half Marathoners from the running Roon start the race, with only a little regret. I have run this race for three years in a row, and while I know I can run the distance, I want to focus on the shorter faster 10k.
I popped a Clif shot 15 minutes before the start, and lined up for the warm up. and set my Garmen for a 53 minute 10k with the virtual Training Partner. My plan was to run an easy pace for the first 5k, and hammer it for the last 5 k and see what happens. 10k is not a long time to go through a lot on a run, when it comes to Half Marathon, or Marathon, there are a lot of things that you can look at that will make you feel better, or worse over the course of your run. The 10k it is simple, 10,000 meters, going as hard as you can, I should not need water for that distance, or gels, just pace, and conditioning.
The Virtual Partner display on the Garmen shows only two screens Top... two little people, showing one ahead, and one behind. Mostly useless for me but kinda cute...Bottom numbers, all the numbers mean is how far ahead, or behind your Virtual Partner you are. In my case at 2k, I was 250m ahead of the virtual Partner, Jocelynn had just passed me, and while I was not feeling bad, I decided to let the pace slack off a little. My goal pace for the first 5k being 5:18 per/km. For the next 3 k I watched the numbers drop until at 5k I was exactly at the pace that I had planned, 26:30 for the first 5k, and felt none the worse for wear. At this point I turned it on, pushed the pace by feel to the point of discomfort. I did the easy math in my head....200m = 1 minute faster than goal pace...or there abouts. I stopped worrying about it so much and focussed on the people in front of me, the numbers would take care of themselves.
One by one I passed the people ahead, at 7k I cought up with Jocelynn again, and pushed on for the last 3k to the finish line. I crossed the finish in 48:57 by official time, not too shabby.
After the race, I went for a leisurly 6k jog, to catch the Half Marathoners on their way in, knowing that I was done for the day and feeling fresh again. Good race overall, but I did not leave it all on the course I know I could have gone harder but "There is no need to be a hero in February" as my friend Jordan says, Good advice, but hard to follow sometimes.
Final Stats
Time: 48:57
Overall Place: 32/299
AG Place: 9/23
Shoes: Brookes Green Silence
Thanks for reading,
Ray
