Much like my taxes were this year, the tax day 10k was disappointing, the only real highlight being the free beer after the race. This seems to be becoming a South Florida race trend for me – disappointing times accompanying race wins… I need to start figuring out how to push myself without competition. That and some race specific training might help…
The race in general was extremely slow this year. In 2008, the only year I could find race results for this race, 6 runners broke 36 minutes – my target time. This year I was the only runner to break 38 minutes – pretty sad really. The only excuse I can think of was the heat – an uncomfortable 80 degrees with 90% humidity. That and the course might have been a bit long – my GPS showing 10.2k, but my 10k time was still sad.
The race was an out and back through Coconut Grove and along main Highway and Douglas Road, U turning on Sunrise drive. A flat (surprise!) and shaded route, with plenty of water stops, and well marked turns. I wish I could remember more about the route but most of it was hazy has I was focused on the race and fighting dehydration as I hadn't properly prepared during the day...
I was determined to start the race easy and under control, hanging back from the front of the pack. That thought lasted all of 400 meters as a few rabbits dropped off quickly and I hooked onto the shoulder of the leader. We went through the first k a little ahead of pace (about 10 seconds actually) but it felt easy and my races always seem to start fast. The pace started slowing a little during the second k, both according to feel and according to my GPS so I started pushing the pace slightly, not picking up the pace but trying not to slow too much. Each time I started to pass the leader he surged to deny.
As we passed through the mile mark in 5:42 I’d had enough of playing and put the hammer down to pass the leader and began opening up a sizable lead. The next 2 k I only raced the wheel chair racer I had caught up to but watched my pace slip to below target. Then around 3.5k another runner from nowhere blew past me and quickly opened up a 20 meter lead.
I focused on not letting the new leader get away, but worried that he still looked pretty strong, and sure that I wouldn’t be able to hang on. A kilometer and half after he had passed me I had him reeled in and he dropped off quickly. I’m not sure what happened to him but Veronica passed him later in the race so he was probably at least 8 minutes behind at the end.
By 6 kilometers I had opened up at least a 100 meter lead but the pace continued to slow. Just before the 8k mark I began passing 5k racers as they headed back towards the finish. Normally passing runners like that gives me a great surge, but the heat was starting to get to me and I really just wanted to latch onto someone and ease into their pace. And the pace continued to slow.
As I took the last corner with just under a kilometer of pain left someone yelled “you’ve got about 10 seconds on him”. 10 seconds? Someone was surging and I had visions of standing still as someone blazed past me on the finishing stretch. Not acceptable – I began pushing my pace the best I could at that point.
I managed to hold off any late kicks and crossed the finish line 9 seconds ahead of second. Dehydrated and tired I was approached by the second place finisher, the guy I had raced with for the first mile, and was reprimanded for not running with him. Apparently he wasn’t racing for place but time, and if we had run together we would have had much better times. Turns out he worked for Adidas and had run a 32:30 10k before but wasn’t currently in race shape and wasn’t used to the heat. I took it as some consolation for being so far off target time that a much more accomplished runner than I hadn’t faired any better in the day’s conditions.
On the day only 2 kilometers were at, or faster than goal pace. Not good. 2 things are apparent – I need to be better about control early in the race, and I really need to work on stamina. 1 more 5k and 2 more 10ks to finish up my early race season, hopefully I’ll be able to improve on this time!
Veronica also had a strong race, still looking good at the end of the race and finishing as the 3rd woman with a solid time of 45:24. Pretty nice for someone who seems to get better as the race gets longer.
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