yet another race report (Lakefront 10)

Bricks · Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2005 4:46 pm

so my ponderous april trudged forward another step this morning with the completion of my third race of the month. coming off pr's at 8k to start the month and a 1/2 mary the following week, i stumbled into a 20 miler last weekend and the start of physical therapy for my hamstring and IT band. responding well to just the first week of PT and a periodic days off to rest and try to heal up i had a 10 mile race this morning. i'm slowly getting my legs back after a bout with OTS and felt good as the race started. the previous two weekends were run in 'hot' 70's weather. today i was welcomed at the starting line with upper 20's and winds at 25mph gusting to 35, gotta love chicago weather. It was a 1 loop course along lake michigan's running and bike paths. this is where i do 99% of my training and is the site of my marathon on memorial day and my last tune up race. it started out north 2mi into the wind, then south with a strong tailwind for 5, then back up into it for the finish. i felt relaxed for the first 8 miles of the race. my hamstring was tight, but no signs of trouble from my IT which was very nice. those first 8 splits were very even, from high 6:50's to low 7:00's. my last two into the wind were a little tough, slowing 15 seconds or so per mile. i finished with a 1:11:19 on my watch and felt good that i felt good. it was a pr by six and a half minutes or so but more importantly i feel like i'm on the upswing for the first time in a month+. I'm anxious to see how my first ever 50 mile week goes this week and feel a little more confident about how my body is responding again (knock on wood).