Charlotte 10 Miler Race Report

Going into this race I was physically spent which put my mind in overdrive as I tried to implement a rest/recovery strategy in the middle of training. Then on Friday, I was hit with the allergy gremlin that brought on one of THOSE headaches that can only be cured with sleep. Perfect timing. I went to bed early, but nerves also kept me from the ideal slumber, so when I woke up at 5:45am I wasn't sure what to expect. Headache gone, ok good, time to bundle up, grab a quick breakfast, and head out the door.

It was about a 10 minute drive for me; just long enough for the heat to feel good and the seats to warm up. Doh. The mercury was at 39 instead of 29 which was a welcomed relief. The race was pretty small compared to the other 10 Milers I've done (Army 10 Miler and the Annapolis 10 Miler), but that's what I love about Charlotte. I was supposed to meet a former co-worker at the race. We didn't specify a meeting place and he found me immediately upon entering the parking garage. Nice. After listening to a few announcements and bypassing the porta-john lines it was over to the starting line where we'd have to wait for the 4-Milers to start before getting the go-ahead.

By the time the announcer released the hounds, I was a bit chilly from all the waiting around. As we started out, I realized that it was a downhill start. While I like running downhill, it's usually a bad omen as all races start out fast and it was even faster going down. With a goal of 8:30's I was a little worried when the watch beeped at 8:05 8:2 8:27 for the first mile as we entered the greenway and left pavement. (I was convinced my first mile was 8:05 until I saw the data, oh well, the watch doesn't lie)

After the first mile I knew it would be a decent day provided I kept my pace under control. Miles 2,3,4 were still in the 8:00 zone. Hmm, keep it up, or risk blowing up? I decided to keep it up since I knew the course was relatively flat. Miles 5,6, and 7 led me to a personal best (in recent history) at 7 Miles in 56min. I was feeling outstanding. Yes.

I knew the last 3 miles would be tough as the elevation showed a blip at around mile 8. The hills couldn't have come at a worse time. I survived them without walking, but dropped the pace quite a bit before it leveled out for the last mile. I was able to pick it up in the last mile and have a strong finish. I hadn't bonked after all.

The unofficial results: 1hr 22min. 8:12 pace.

It's rare that I exceed my expectations going into a race. I would have been thrilled with a 1:30 finish, so coming in well ahead of my expectations was a great feeling. I guess the tapering/rest worked after all. The human body can take a lot more than you think and I'm thankful for that.

My wife earned a whole bunch of bonus points by having waffles and a chai tea waiting for me when I got home. Now that is sweet!

Tonight, I'll be enjoying the beer Sunny Haze I eyed in the fridge the night before.