I survived my first 10K!

I was more nervous about this race than any other. I knew I could go the distance, though I hadn't done it since Mother's Day. It was the hills and the heat that I was worried about.




There was a 5K before the 10K and I realized it was going around the campus at Boston College, so I wanted to make sure I was there before the 5K started so I wouldn't have any traffic problems.


I had plenty of carbs for lunch and dinner on Friday - probably too many :)




I didn't go to bed as early as I would have liked - 'Say Yes to the Dress - Atlanta' season premiere was on :) I have this slight obsession with wedding dresses, as I want to go try on dresses again once I hit my goal.




I woke up at 5:15, left at 5:45 and was there well before 6:30, 2 hours before my race :) I ate breakfast (2 whole wheat waffles with strawberry jam and a small banana) in the car.  I picked up my bib, but the Expo wasn't open until 8. I wandered around and listened/watched the 5K start. I got to watch the end of the 5K (whopping 17 minutes or so later) - not something I ever get to see. I got to see Shalane Flanagan in person. I used the bathroom in the stadium - much better than Port-a-potties :) And then I just waited.




I got towards the end of the shoot - I wouldn't want to be totally at the end, but close enough, and we were off.


The race is and out-and-back, downhill, then uphill. There are flat areas and the hills are gradual, but one is long. This is the area called "Heartbreak Hill" on the Boston Marathon route. It was quite warm - even though it started at 8:30, we were in full sun the majority of the time. I grabbed water at every water stop (there were quite a few) and poured the majority either on me or onto my bandana.
I did commit a cardinal sin of racing, twice :) I grabbed some Gatorade, which I don't train with and I did think at one point I would see it again, but that was more the heat than anything else.


My official time was 1:13:07 - I'll take it! My PR (while running on my own) was 1:15 and with the hills I was just hoping for 1:20. Of course now I am eager to try a 10K without the hills! I probably won't get a chance until October. My splits started out at 10:00 min/mile and ended up more than 13:00. I was able to gun it at the end. I finished before 300 other people, so I am satisfied with my results.


I don't do well in the heat at all - I feel completely hung over and am very out of it. I had a bagel, some banana, and a red Gatorade. It took me a good hour to feel normal. I hit the Expo to get my t shirt (they were out of Women's Large, so I took a Women's medium instead of a Men's Medium).


I got home around 11:30, took a shower, went to my daughter's last soccer game of the season, and tried to take a nap. I couldn't sleep well, one because I had a 8 oz coke with lunch, and 2 because I was starving.


We'll see how my legs feel in the morning! My knees are already quite tender.