Runtex 10Miler recap

Now that the week of hell that lasted 10 days is over. I can post about the EAS/Runtex run for the water 10miler benefitting the gazelle's foundation.

The day started off great. We took off on the race with me running with Carol and Staley but I realized quickly that I wouldn't be able to hang with these guys so I slowed down (that's a good thing since Carol finished at a 8:30 pace and Staley at 9 min). Jessica (who had started out with Sarah and Allison, who were running the 5k) met up with me and we ran together from the half mile point.

It was humid but we started off feeling pretty good. But things went a little downhill from that point. Jess realized that she had been on her feet the entire day before the race (volunteering for the race) and then ate badly because she waited too long. So around mile 2 or 3, it became a very real possibility that she might throw up. I was just trying not to push myself because I still had most of my presentation for a class to work on for the rest of the day (~75 pages in all). So we ran, trying to remember that this was supposed to be a training run and not pushing ourselves. We talked the entire way to try and keep each other entertained/distracted.

Miles 8-10 were probably the most painful. The hills were done. We had successfully avoided pushing ourselves or throwing up but we were just exhausted and wanted to be done. We even took a walk break around mile 9.5 but we seemed to just be sick of it. I think we just wanted to be done.

The volunteers were amazing. They cheered us, directed us and some that we knew even ran with us. I'm not sure if we would have made it if it hadn't been for the familiar faces and encouraging yells and hoots.

It felt good to be done but I'm not sure I felt happy to have run it, just happy to be finished.

So, it turns out Decker 20M will not be happening. I can't deal with these baby hills. Decker's hills would make me cry for my mama.

I think that a hilly race may not be the best way to motivate yourself to run a longer race. During the second half of the race a question kept popping up in my mind: If I'm not doing so well with this mileage, how am I going to keep going for three more miles? But I need to remember that the half I'm running is qualitatively different. It's flat. In fact, some people tell me it's downhill a large part of the way. Supposed to be among the fastest races around.

I'm still in training. I just need to get stronger around hills and not plan to race during hell weeks.