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I've had a few beers and time to reflect on the events of the morning, so I guess it's time for a race report.<br>
First a quick recap, this is my second race ever, the first was a Half, with a time of 2 hours and twenty minutes. I'm a big dude, weighing in as 278lbs. One of my goals is to run a Half in under two hours, the 10K is a stepping stone to that goal. The goal for today was to finish in under an hour, which meant running splits of about 9:40, just a little faster than I've been able to do on the track.<br><br>
Two things I didn't take into consideration, the masses of people in the first two miles and the 'hills,' which weren't bad at all, just enough though to let you know you were there. It has been said pain lets you know you're still alive, well, by the time I would get done today, I was full of life.<br><br>
I couldn't sleep last night, as it goes with most nights when I have to get up early the next day, so I got up at 5 a.m. The race started at 8 a.m., so I had plenty of time to get down there and get ready. I even got to watch the start of the kids 1k, I got a great laugh as the announcer whipped the kids into such a freny, that when the starting horn sounded, they were all screaming as they came barreling out of the gate.<br><br>
Finally, the 5k/10k, runners started to line up, I made my way towards the back and ran into arc918. He was running the 5k with his daughter (which was her first and did very well!!) and he brought me a watch with which I could track my split times, I got a crash course in splits and watch working and away we went. It took anywhere from 30 to 40 seconds to get from the back of the line, to the starting line, my run wasn't starting well as I was now already behind in precious seconds before I even offically got started.<br><br>
The first two miles, everyone was herded together, no passing, a slow pace, this being my second race, I was pretty frusterated by it; actually I was pissed. I cursed to myself, this is fvcking crazy, this sucks, this is stupid, this is madness...'This is Sparta!!!!!" (You have to see the 300 to get this.) I totally laughed at myself for being a dork and immediately I was in a better mood. I looked at the watch, 20:55, oh crap, now, I'm way behind. Instant panic and a frenzied pace insued. Time to kick ass, push yourself, screw it...go hard and go fast. I was passing all sorts of fools and feeling good, too bad my luck wouldn't hold out. Mile 3's time, 8:53, oops. I don't think I've ever broken a nine minute mile in my life, just to give you a taste of how fast I was going, relative to my normal speed.<br><br>
Mile 4, back to a more normal pace and a water station, YES!!!! I stopped, grabbed two waters, downed them both between heaving breaths, making sure not lose once drop of that sweet H-2-0 and just like that, I was on my way again. Onto the riverbed, which funneled a bunch of people onto a narrow sidewalk, no passing again this time, or so I thought. I finally found an advantage to being a big runner, people are generally afraid of you, especially when you're right behind them, feet stopping into the ground and gail force wind being inhaled right behind their ears. I actually got quite a few people to move. Ha! Mile 4 was 9:40, right where it should be.<br><br>
Hit mile 5 and came out of the riverbed, I was toast, the pace was too much and I was just spent. For the next couple of minutes I would have a mental battle with myself, I slogged to a slow jog, as I conceded defeat, that I wouldn't make my hour but I would make like an hour and three minutes and I could live with that. It was a great effort and no one would fault me for just cruising the rest of the way in...I did all but pat myslef on my back, idiot. As my hips felt like they would burst from my sides at any minute, my legs burned, my eyes stung with sweat, only one thought crossed my mind. I've been here before. This is exactly how I felt at the end of the Half I ran when I wanted to give up. I didn't give up then and I sure as hell wasn't going to give up now. I steeled my mind and willed my way faster. After this, everything was a blur, I came upon the finish line, I saw arc918 cheering me on and I saw the finish clock, which read 1:00.34 as I crossed. Then I saw the pavement as I made my way to the sidewalk as I was sure I was going to puke. Thankfully, it didn't happen but I didn't get back up for quite awhile.<br><br>
As for making my goal of finishing in an hour, I don't know if I did it or not. I forgot to stop my watch and I'm not really sure exactly how long it took to get from the back of the line to the offical starting line. So either way, it was a few seconds, so maybe I did it and maybe not.<br><br>
What I do know, is that those few minutes, which seemed like a lifetime, of negative thoughts, beat me today. If I would have stayed the course, believed in myself and not succumbed to doubt, I would have made my hour goal, no questions asked. Negative thinking cost me a lot today, I've trained hard for that goal and it really sucks that I defeated myself.<br><br>
You know what though, as disappointed as I am in myself, it's alright, I learned a big lesson today.<br><br>
And I will not make the same mistake twice!!!<br><br>
And I'm definetely alive, my legs are still throbbing.
First a quick recap, this is my second race ever, the first was a Half, with a time of 2 hours and twenty minutes. I'm a big dude, weighing in as 278lbs. One of my goals is to run a Half in under two hours, the 10K is a stepping stone to that goal. The goal for today was to finish in under an hour, which meant running splits of about 9:40, just a little faster than I've been able to do on the track.<br><br>
Two things I didn't take into consideration, the masses of people in the first two miles and the 'hills,' which weren't bad at all, just enough though to let you know you were there. It has been said pain lets you know you're still alive, well, by the time I would get done today, I was full of life.<br><br>
I couldn't sleep last night, as it goes with most nights when I have to get up early the next day, so I got up at 5 a.m. The race started at 8 a.m., so I had plenty of time to get down there and get ready. I even got to watch the start of the kids 1k, I got a great laugh as the announcer whipped the kids into such a freny, that when the starting horn sounded, they were all screaming as they came barreling out of the gate.<br><br>
Finally, the 5k/10k, runners started to line up, I made my way towards the back and ran into arc918. He was running the 5k with his daughter (which was her first and did very well!!) and he brought me a watch with which I could track my split times, I got a crash course in splits and watch working and away we went. It took anywhere from 30 to 40 seconds to get from the back of the line, to the starting line, my run wasn't starting well as I was now already behind in precious seconds before I even offically got started.<br><br>
The first two miles, everyone was herded together, no passing, a slow pace, this being my second race, I was pretty frusterated by it; actually I was pissed. I cursed to myself, this is fvcking crazy, this sucks, this is stupid, this is madness...'This is Sparta!!!!!" (You have to see the 300 to get this.) I totally laughed at myself for being a dork and immediately I was in a better mood. I looked at the watch, 20:55, oh crap, now, I'm way behind. Instant panic and a frenzied pace insued. Time to kick ass, push yourself, screw it...go hard and go fast. I was passing all sorts of fools and feeling good, too bad my luck wouldn't hold out. Mile 3's time, 8:53, oops. I don't think I've ever broken a nine minute mile in my life, just to give you a taste of how fast I was going, relative to my normal speed.<br><br>
Mile 4, back to a more normal pace and a water station, YES!!!! I stopped, grabbed two waters, downed them both between heaving breaths, making sure not lose once drop of that sweet H-2-0 and just like that, I was on my way again. Onto the riverbed, which funneled a bunch of people onto a narrow sidewalk, no passing again this time, or so I thought. I finally found an advantage to being a big runner, people are generally afraid of you, especially when you're right behind them, feet stopping into the ground and gail force wind being inhaled right behind their ears. I actually got quite a few people to move. Ha! Mile 4 was 9:40, right where it should be.<br><br>
Hit mile 5 and came out of the riverbed, I was toast, the pace was too much and I was just spent. For the next couple of minutes I would have a mental battle with myself, I slogged to a slow jog, as I conceded defeat, that I wouldn't make my hour but I would make like an hour and three minutes and I could live with that. It was a great effort and no one would fault me for just cruising the rest of the way in...I did all but pat myslef on my back, idiot. As my hips felt like they would burst from my sides at any minute, my legs burned, my eyes stung with sweat, only one thought crossed my mind. I've been here before. This is exactly how I felt at the end of the Half I ran when I wanted to give up. I didn't give up then and I sure as hell wasn't going to give up now. I steeled my mind and willed my way faster. After this, everything was a blur, I came upon the finish line, I saw arc918 cheering me on and I saw the finish clock, which read 1:00.34 as I crossed. Then I saw the pavement as I made my way to the sidewalk as I was sure I was going to puke. Thankfully, it didn't happen but I didn't get back up for quite awhile.<br><br>
As for making my goal of finishing in an hour, I don't know if I did it or not. I forgot to stop my watch and I'm not really sure exactly how long it took to get from the back of the line to the offical starting line. So either way, it was a few seconds, so maybe I did it and maybe not.<br><br>
What I do know, is that those few minutes, which seemed like a lifetime, of negative thoughts, beat me today. If I would have stayed the course, believed in myself and not succumbed to doubt, I would have made my hour goal, no questions asked. Negative thinking cost me a lot today, I've trained hard for that goal and it really sucks that I defeated myself.<br><br>
You know what though, as disappointed as I am in myself, it's alright, I learned a big lesson today.<br><br>
And I will not make the same mistake twice!!!<br><br>
And I'm definetely alive, my legs are still throbbing.
