November 7, 2010

Under Armor Senior Bowl 10K RR

So... this was my PR race last year (38:48) and the goal would be to beat it. It's no secret that I would LOVE to have PR sweep for 2010. I already have 5K, HM, and Marathon. Going into the race, I would aim for 6:17. Why, you ask? See, in my Masters of Reading Education brain, I thought that was the pace for my 10K PR. Ha!

The TP and I rode down and met up with a group of runners from the Mobile area, one really speedy girl that I have been friends with for a few years, Amy. I also got to meet the reining champ from last year (35:XX), a UT Track gal. There were also two new girls to the group that all seemed speedy. We did our warm-up and chit-chatted about life stuff. What's weird is that none of us talked about our goals for the race. I was dieing to know what the others planned on running, but was NOT about to say it. Here's the convo w/ TP before the race.

Me: Ugh, I really wanted Top 3
Him: Why won't you get it?
Me: All those fast girls
Him: Here we go.
Me: Huh?
Him: What is wrong with you? You are fast. You have no idea what those girls will run.
Me: You're right.
Him: Always (pat on the shoulder)

That sums up my usual self-doubt before races. So, 6:17 goal would be it. (When actually, my PR pace is 6:15- GRRRR, stupid, stupid, stupid!)

Mile 1: Reining Champ is gone, new Mobile gal is pretty far ahead of me, and the other two are somewhere behind 6:16

Mile 2: TP is right next to me. We have a friendly competition going, too, but he has been on/off the bench w/ ITB, so I didn't think he would last long. 6:17

Mile 3: The course makes a turn and this little side road is kind of rough. It is also the only descent/incline of the course. TP has fallen back. I usually lose it right here, so I really focused in on my pace. 6:15

Mile 4: I see my friend, Sandy's speedy BF in front of me and I'm wondering why he is running so slowly (for him). That little side road took it out of me. 6:19

Mile 5: I am starting to fade, and just embracing my non-PR, but close, race. Bringing it home, still 3rd female and not near 2nd, not near 4th. 6:19

Mile 6: Sandy's BF takes off and few guys catch up and start saying stuff like, "Come on." I start coughing from the cold. 6:20

0.22 @ 6:06 pace

Final 39:07, 3rd OA Female

And... that's a wrap! I really missed my buddies, Speedy Anna and Katie. The post-race party was pretty low key. It was too cold to be excited about anything. Haha. Up next is the Pensacola Half Marathon next Sunday!

14 comments:

  1. Nice Race! I've been following your blog for a LONG time. I always jump on the tab when you have a new post. Good Luck with that quest to sub 3! A bit of a pipedream for me but I get inspired that things are possible when I look at your sidebar! You've worked hard and deserve everything coming to you!!

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  2. Anonymous11/07/2010

    Yikes, bikes! You are a speedy inspiration - great run. I commiserate with you in the math skills department... looks like you executed the race really consistently though - all splits within five seconds of one another - I am impressed. You pace like a metronome! Do you race with a garmin?

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  3. Anonymous11/07/2010

    congrats on 3rd! you are awesome :) i am in love with your consistency each mile. my paces are always all over the freaking place but you just lock in a GO.

    and cold in alabama? ;)

    there's still time for a pr sweep. we have 2 months left :) i'm hoping for a pr fall / winter myself!

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  4. congratulations!

    I love your Title Header =)

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  5. Great race. Wish I could have been there with you.

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  6. Good job on the race. My Masters in Statistics brain has a hard time calculating race paces, too.

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  7. Dang you are fast!! Wow!! Seriously congrats!!

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  8. Anonymous11/07/2010

    Holey Moley you are such a fastie!! You are such an inspriation!! :)

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  9. Congrats on 3rd overall! You sure are speedy. Good luck in your half next weekend!

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  10. Oh, to be as fast as you, what a joy that would be! Congratulations Rebecca, you are my zoomy heroine, always.

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  11. Great race. I thought it was kind of funny how you said you were losing it when clearly to me you were not. I would kill to have splits that varied by only 4 seconds.

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  12. Anonymous11/10/2010

    Congrats on the top 3 and the near-sweep - I'd say that's a pretty great year

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  13. Yes, I do usually wear a Garmin for racing. There have been a few where I ran without. My pacing hasn't always been like this. It just seems as I improved, the pacing got easier to control. It definitely takes practice and self-control in those early miles. :)

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  14. Holy cow you are a speedy one:) I just saw your comment over at the heat runner's blog! Congrats on an excellent 10K race! Good luck with the upcoming marathon!

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