10k Double Header Weekend....Part One 5th Annual Reindeer Run!...

...Or Cheated Out of a PR...

I joined a running group, called Those Crazy Runner's of Fayetteville. I read on their FaceBook page that quite a few people were going to two local 10ks back to back. While this sounded like fun, the idea of waking up early both days of the weekend did not sound appetizing to me at all. But, on a whim I decided to go for it. Mighty Mouse wouldn't be joining me, as he had to pull 24-hour duty. He's a good motivator and his extreme punctuality normally keeps me on my toes.
I decided to get on it with it and drug myself out of bed and made the effort to get myself to Aberdeen by 730 in time for registration. However, effort is the key word in that statement, because I really, really cut it close. I arrived 10 minutes before registration closed. I encountered a very, cranky race volunteer who took my registration form, shoved a t-shirt and a race number toward me and sent me on my way. I met up with four folks from the running group and we danced around trying to stay warm.

Again, I chose to wear capri pants and long-sleeved shirt. I was absolutely freezing at the start. I couldn't wait to start running.

I headed toward the starting point and wiggled my way into the crowd. I was a little confused as to whether or not I was at the start for the 10k or the 5k so I had to ask someone next to me. Even though two other runners assured me I was in the right place, I wasn't completely convinced. Either way, I took off whenever everyone else started moving.

There is a growing trend where I don't know really when the actual race starts and I'm considering trying to start closer to the front. This is a bit of a sticky wicket, because I also dislike getting passed and I figure quite a few people starting further back will actually end up wiping me out. I'm not sure if I want to make this change.

So, I ran past the Santa that started the race still not confident that I took off with the 10k crowd. I pushed forward anyway and hoped for the best.

I stayed frozen for the first two miles and was feeling slightly better when I noticed the pack I was running in hooked it right following the 10k path. I got caught up in my music on my iPod and plugged forward, it became slightly hilly around mile four and I hoped this wasn't a repeat performance of last week's hilly half.

I discovered that I really, really enjoy the little village of Aberdeen, NC. It's a little more country than it's neighbors Southern Pines and Pinehurst, but has a really quaint feel about it. Plus, it has a caboose in it's town center.

The run started to snake through an old cemetery and the sun really started to beam down. I was now way, way too hot. In fact I was uncomfortably hot and I couldn't wait for the race to be over.

I pushed through the last mile and found myself on the street that led me into town. I was excited to be nearly done and I tried to pick up the pace, thinking that maybe I would medal in such a small race.

It was a downhill finish and when I came across the finish line I inhaled some fake snow that they had blowing around, it was pretty disgusting. Also, the finish line clock seemed to be displaying the 5k finish times, which renewed my wrong start-point fears.

According to my GPS I ran a 48:34 averaging a 7:44 minute mile. This isn't too shabby for me, and it was closer to my goal time of 48 minutes so I was pretty pleased. I collected my water bottle and a bottle of water and headed toward the finish line hoping to find some others from the group.

Finally I caught up with some others near the race results postings and discovered that my official time was not recorded, because I didn't receive the right race number, the one I was given did not have a timing chip in it. WTF?! I also discovered I was not given a schwag bag at registration. Double WTF!?  I officially hate this race! Especially since according to my records, 48:34 would be a PR for me and now it hasn't even been officially recorded! Triple WTF?! I found this whole race to be completely annoying.

What was great is that my running group friends were completely supportive and commiserated with me. The other good news was that one of our members earned a medal so we stuck around for the ceremony. Here I discovered that even if my time was recorded it wasn't fast enough to earn me an age-group medal. So the only thing I really missed out on was having the race 'count.' I figured at least I had witnesses.

If it wasn't for the logistical errors that this race offered, I would have really enjoyed it. So, I guess the lesson learned here, is not to leave registration for the last minute. I will no longer do race site registration. The best thing was that this was my first race with 'Those Crazy Runners of Fayetteville" and it was a great experience! It was awesome to have others to commiserate with with at the end of a race and share the successes and the gripes. We all headed to The Cracker Barrel afterward for a fat girl's breakfast!

In Summation: The Town of Aberdeen=Quaint; Reindeer Run= Could Have Been Awesome; Frazzled Race Volunteers Who Make Mistakes=Annoying as Hell PR=Awesome; PRs that Aren't Officially Recorded=UNAwesome; Those Crazy Runners of Fayetteville=AWESOME; Faith in Mankind=Hanging Out with Unused Race Day Materials, Like My Chip-Timed Race Number

What the What? An Interim Blog...

...Or stuff I forgot to say yesterday...

PART 1...
...The DNF 

I realized today, while running 10-miles, that I glossed over somethings in my haste to get my blog posted before the end of the week.
I never discussed my DNF. For those who haven't raced, DNF is an acronym for Did Not Finish. Before I moved from Germany to North Carolina, I registered for the 'Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon' on April 7. I did not complete this race. I didn't even bother to get myself out of the bed to get to the race, in fact, I ran the 12 miles my training program prescribed on Saturday. So I did accomplish the running, but totally ignored the race. I feel pretty badly about not completing something that I signed up to do. But I didn't realize how far I would have to travel to run the race. It probably would have meant a 430 wake up, and I just couldn't be bothered. So, now I've logged my very first, ever, DNF, out of pure laziness.

PART 2...
...The elusive 8:23 pace

I lost my pace. I can't find it anywhere. I've been desperate to regain speed since moving back to America. I've been working really hard, but I can not run any faster than an 8:30 for any distance at all. Today, I made a serious attempt at keeping the pace for 10-miles. I wasn't sure that I could maintain the pace for 10 miles, but I was hoping for at least 6-8. Yeah right! I couldn't even keep it for three miles. Anytime the route went up hill my pace slowed even more. Around mile 6, I gave up even trying and just tried to finish the run strong. The Garmin says I averaged a 9:03 minute per mile.
Awful. This is Awful .
I've been trying to retrace my training and see where my speed got lost, but I can't really figure it out. I have skipped minimal workouts. I know I skipped a speed work out, back in Germany and I skipped the 10-miler I was meant to run while en route back to the states. This shouldn't have such a drastic effect now. The only thing I can think of is the mileage is just wearing on me.
Currently, my plan is just to keep plugging through, and hopefully during the taper, my speed will resurface. If not, it looks like an Autumn Marathon is in my future...with this comes stricter qualification for Boston.

PART 3...
...Because it wasn't hard enough already

Apparently, despite it's stiff qualifications times, the Boston Marathon is still just too crowded. In order to combat it, the Boston Athletic Association made the standards more difficult. So, if I don't reach the 3:40 this year, next year, instead of running 3:45, it will still be 3:40. Not really that big of deal. But the chiefs up at BAA also took away the 59-second rule. This simply means, that you are good until 3:41. So, you can run 3:40:59 and still qualify. Not anymore, 3:40:01, will not allow you entry to the race. Sigh.

PART 4
...The Last 20-Miler

I am scheduled to run my last 20-miler on Saturday. Unfortunately, it looks like the weather is not in my favor. Allegedly we are supposed to have severe thunderstorms coupled with tornado warnings. I guess I will wake up tomorrow and see what happens. If not, I will shoot for Sunday.

PART 5
...Rejoining the Work Force

I start work on again on Monday. Booo. Not my favorite topic.

In Summation: DNF=Disappointing; DNF Because of Laziness=Embarrassing; 8:23=Where are you?; Last 20-miler=Sigh; Bad Weather=Due...I've been lucky; Going back to Work=Blah