10k report from Rustyboy...yeah, only 10k!

Rustyboy · LA, CA Joined: 14 Dec 2004 Posts: 225

Howdee all...

I have returned from my first race under 15k in...jeez, 3 years? It was a street race alongside the ocean in Santa Monica, run by myself, my wife, and 3 of our mutual friends.

Seeing as it was the 1st annual "Save The Bay" 5/10k, flukes were to be expected, and from the getgo, we got 'em. Firstly,the start was nowhere NEAR where the map detailed, so we wound up walking about 1.5 miles to stumble upon it (we weren't the only ones wandering Santa Monica in search of it). The start was to be signaled with the blowing of a conch shell, which, after 3 attempts to no avail, was switched to the classic. "On your marks, set, go!"

I set my goal on breaking my (incredibly pathetic) 45 minute PR for a 10k, so I set myself up in the 7mile/min corral and trotted along. Mile 1, "7:04" was announced, so I was on pace, pretty much, pounding the streets of Venice on a sunday morning, passing coffeeshop after coffeeshop of poseurs, barely clapping us on between latte sips and screenplay revisions.

Mile 2 pushed us to Ocean Ave, above the PCH, with a magnificent view of the Pacific. The salt air swirled through my lungs, refreshing and cool, as I hit mile 2 at 14:05, cutting some time, but I knew there was a lllloooong , gradual climb ahead, so I reduced pace as I felt the increase of grade.

Miles 2.5-4 were on a steep 4% grade, so I concentrated on breathing, knowing that, at the turnaround, I'd make up my time, and as I switched back at mile 4, I hit it. Hard.

Donwhill all the way, I passed my wife and our friends on their way up the hill, relishing in their cheers as I concentrated on my now, 6:30 pace. My wife, as she passed, screamed, "You GO, McGarry!" to which I responded, "No, McGarry, YOU go!", to which she responded, "No, YOU!". She looked so happy on her way up, and I felt a surge of pride in her attempt, as she rarely runs beyond 4 miles consecutively.

Smelling the barn door at mile 5, I slammed on the accelerator and gave chase to a runner who'd passed me 1/2 a mile prior. Drafting him, I kept up the pounding pace and hit the finish at 43:12, a new PR. No exhaustion, no nausea, I knew I'd run my race, and knew if I'd really pushed it, could have broken 43 without a problem.

I awaited our friends and my wife at the finish and saw them all trounce across the line, all smiled, my wife flashing the "rock goat horns" at the photographer snapping shots right before the chutes.

I was happy with my pace, as I'm not a speed demon by any means, as I finished 11th in my age group of 80.

2 weeks from now, I go for my 5k PR. Expect a race report that involves vomiting.