Race Recap: The Parks 10k

Free photo from Potomac River Running

Race Prep:
I didn't do much preparation for this race. The week before I ran a quick 1600-1200-800-400 on Tuesday, and then I was sick through the rest of the week. I took Thursday and Friday completely off exercise. On Saturday morning, I went for a short 3.5 mile jog, completed a few errands, picked up my race packet in Tysons Corner (and had some delicioius Caribou Coffee sandwich and chai tea latte), went home briefly, and ate some chicken salad and Whole Foods salad bar for lunch. I continued my day by watching Dexter on Netflix and eating angel hair pasta with red sauce and cheese/herb blend (plus four pieces of spinach ravioli in pesto sauce). I also had some chocolate milk. I know, my food combinations are not ideal.

Race Day:
Pre-Race:
I took my extra hour of sleep (after staying up until 10pm watching Dexter), woke up at 6:15am to get ready, and ate a bowl of apple-cinnamon instant oatmeal (FINALLY finished the box I bought on Labor Day weekend) with a few sips of water at 6:50am. My boyfriend dropped me off at the race site (and then returned home for sleep), and I was on-site at 7:10am.

The Parks 10k is put on by Potomac River Running Store (=PR=) at West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C. The race is known for its flat and fast course and high quality jackets. This year, we got soft cotton hoodies with The Parks 10k embroidery (boys got blue and girls got purple). We also got those sweet new race pins that =PR= is giving out at special races. I'm a sucker, so I might buy a lanyard once I collect enough pins.

I was sporting my Team Red White Blue shirt for this race, and I met up with a few other runners from Team RWB before the race for a photo. I couldn't find everyone after the race, though. I'll have to plan that one out better (post-race brunch, anyone?). I really like being a part of Team RWB. It makes me feel like I'm running for someone other than myself, and I enjoy all the monthly activites (though my busy schedule hardly allows for most of the events). We met up at 7:25am, took our photo and chatted, and went our separate ways at 7:45am.

I did a quick 0.5-1 mile run, did some dynamic stretching, and generally felt pretty calm about the race.

I was glad I picked up my packet early; I didn't have to deal with worrying about it the day of the race. =PR= offered a bag check, and they supplied the trash bags and duct tape (you just had to write your number on the tape). I was able to run over to the bag check, shove my sweat pants, arm warmers, and ear warmers into a bag and hand it off minutes before the start.

Race:
I picked a starting position near the start, but behind people who I thought looked quite fast. I overhead someone saying they were aiming for 6:30 miles, so I picked a spot about two rows behind him. I wasn't sure how I was going to run, having been sick and not run for a few days.

After the two-count start ("Runners set...GO!"), we were off, running toward the rising sun! During road races, I have a weird strategy for the start. I pick a runner who I've seen run before (thus, kinda know her pace) and match my pace with hers for a second. If that seems too slow, I pick another runner ahead of her. I keep doing this until I find "my group." I passed a girl who I know is fast, so I assumed she was either having an off-day or was using the run as a training run (unless she got injured at some point since the Perfect 10).

I saw a group of girls running in singlets ahead of me. I recognized the Capital Area Runners (CAR) red singlets, about three of them, a single Georgetown Running Club (GRC) blue singlet, and a girl in a yellow singlet. In races I tend to get a little carried away sometimes. I try to have a plan ("Keep a steady X:XX pace for the first X mile(s), then pick it up to X:XX pace, and finish at a X:XX pace."), but that never works with my bipolar self. As you can guess, my mind usually goes crazy on me, saying, "To HELL with that plan! Let's RACE! Push the past as hard as you can as long as you can. Let's see if we can shake these girls. Let's see which of them want to race. Let's get crazy! If you drop the pace and fall to the side of the road, and they all pass you, and you are humiliated into being seen as a not-so-smart-racer, then so be it. Don't be a pussy, Anna! RUN! Move you bloomin' ass!" Yeah...I'm a little mean to myself.

At the one mile mark, I had reeled in a group of girls in singlets. I'm assuming it was their coach that called out to them, "5:57" at the one mile marker. As I glanced down at my watch, I saw 5:59. I think their coach was off; I had definitely started behind them at the start line and started my watch as I passed the start line. I assumed he was telling them what they needed to hear, though. I laughed at myself, "Hah! You barely ran a 6:04 mile earlier this week! You think you can really hold on to this for 5.2 more miles? Oh, this is going to be fun. Run, Anna, run! Hahaha. Racing is interesting with you..." As I said, I have ridiculous self-talk.

Before the two mile mark, I made a move. I passed the small pack of girls, but the girl in the blue GRC singlet pulled ahead again. She held the pace for a while, but then I felt like she was slowing it down again. Not even in racing, just running in general, I hate following someone's pace if it doesn't feel right for me. I tend to spend a lot of time chasing Jack, my running buddy, down, but that's different. It's hilarious trying to keep up with someone so speedy. It's frustrating running behind someone who is holding a pace even half a second off what I really want to be running. I moved to the side, so I wasn't running behind her, and slowly pulled even with her. I didn't look over, didn't try to tell myself if she was struggling or taking it easy. I just coughed a little bit (like I said, I had a cold, and crap has been coming up from my lungs lately) and increased the pace. Eventually, she dropped behind. At the two mile mark, I noticed the mark must have been off a little (no way I ran a 7 minute mile pace--definitely was faster).

I've taught myself to stop looking behind me. I don't want to get too comfortable knowing someone is far behind, nor do I want to get freaked out that a pack of girls is trailing not too far behind me. After we rounded the end of Hains Point, we saw the men's leaders coming back. They looked swift and strong. Soon, we saw the women's leaders. I recognized a few faces as I counted how many women were ahead of me. As I hooked around the cone at the halfway point, I glanced at my watch: 19:25. I was happy with that pace. I just had to do that one more time and I could break 40 minutes (my goal for the day). After I turned the corner, I immediately saw a bunch of girls behind me. I do a terrible job at judging the distance I've run past the cone and the distance they have left to the cone when everyone is running so quickly. I told myself, "DON'T BACK DOWN," one of our mantras from college, "Look ahead of you, not behind you. Chase that women who is so far ahead. Reel her in. Get those guys on the way..."

The nice things about out-and-back runs are that you know exactly the distance you have left to run and runners can cheer each other on, no matter where you are on the course. I heard a few, "Go Team RWB!" I tried to cheer back, but I had lost my voice. I let out a few girly yelps instead.

I usually sip water at races, but I skipped the water stop both times. I was cool enough and didn't feel dehydrated. At the four mile mark, I told myself, "2.2 miles left. You can run anything for 2.2 miles. That's nothing!" Soon I saw the five mile mark, and the women ahead of me was within reach. I chased her down. With about .2 miles left, at the 6 mile mark, I had caught up with her. I had shouted out to her, "All the way through the finish!" because I realized she had dropped her pace so much. I've seen her before, I think. She's a good runner. I felt like she needed the mental support. As I saw the finish line get closer, I tried to pick up the pace, but this woman had a hell of a kick, beating me to the finish by one second. Later, our chip times would show that I actually ran a faster overall 10k time (as I had started out behind her at the start).

Post-Race:
My final time was 39:00 flat (6:17/mile pace). I was the 8th overall woman (update: really the 6th overall woman since two men were wearing women's bibs), placing 1st in the female 25-30 age group. I got a $25 gift certificate.

The finish line had water, bagels, banana, breakfast bars, granola bars, and fruit snacks. I grabbed water, a banana, and a packet of fruit snacks. I bundled back up, cheered on some runners, went to the awards ceremony, and walk/jogged back home for a total of 10 miles running.