I decided not to take NO for an answer...

Last night after my training I took some Hammer Recoverite. I wasn't sure if I was going to do the 10 mile race this morning but figured if I did the Recoverite couldn't hurt. I managed to get up early and decided go for it and race. I wasn't sure if I'd have my best race because my heart rate was elevated from a heavy workout yesterday and no tapering but I was mentally prepared to give it my all. When I got to the site to register they told me they were sold out and I would not be able to race. I had checked the website yesterday and they said everything was sold out but the 10 mile run. It was the moment of truth, do I go home and do my long slow run or do I race. I DECIDED TO RACE!!!

I hung around the side of the start line and just before the gun went off I slipped into the middle of the pack. I was thinking that I was wearing the wrong shirt to crash a race in. The shirt I wore said "SUCK IT UP!!!" and was drawing all types of attention. I figured when they were looking at it someone might notice I had no race number. But luckily no one did. 

I went as hard as I could. The first mile was at a 6:48 pace. At the 5 mile marker I was averaging a 6:57 pace. I was a little worried at the 5 mile point because it was a looped coarse and it went through the start/finish line a second time. I was sure I was going to get caught. The coarse was pretty tough, some good hills and the last 2 miles was running into a medium head wind on a slight incline. My finishing time was 1:09:42, average pace 6:57 per mile / 4:19 per kilometer. With all things considered I was happy with the time. I'm sure if I tapered I would have done a little better but my goal was to run under a 7 minute mile and give it my all and I did that. My average heart rate for the entire run was 155, maxing at 162. My best pace going down a hill was 4:58 per mile. Based on the final results my time put me in 38th overall out of 290 finishers and 10th out of 49 in the 40 - 49 age group. 

The one thing about wearing the "S.I.U." shirt is that I constantly get cheered. Everyone on the coarse is telling me to "Suck it Up" as I run by. After the race, while I was stretching, a guy came up to me and thanked me. He said that for the last 3 KM all he could think of was my shirt and it motivated him to finish. That was cool. The only issue I had was after the race the ball of my left foot seems sore, like a mild bruise. I've noticed that it has felt like this, on and off, for the last couple of months. I hope it doesn't evolve into something major. I was happy that I was only 10 seconds slower on my last 5 miles than my first 5 miles. 

By mile 8 I finally got in the "zone" where I can run through the "pain" and actually go faster, usually I get in the "zone" by mile 6. I in the last two miles against the wind and up hill I was able to get my average down from 6:58 to a final 6:57 average. I'm sure I could have held that pace for a half marathon, which would have given me a 1:31:22, which would have been an all time PR by 15 seconds from my early 20's. After the run and when I got home my legs didn't even feel like I did a run, yet I couldn't have went faster during the race. That means I'm starting to get in decent shape. Last year my first race was an 18 miler and I averaged an 8 min pace. It looks like I've improved. I love it!

Road Race - 1:09:42 / 10 miles / 6:58 pace / avg hr 155 

31th out of 136 overall males / 10th out of 49 for the 40 - 49 age group

21