Race Report: Green Valley Road Race 10-Miler

Results based on Guntime:

1:36:55 - 9:43 min per mile average

Overall 219/282

There were no results per gender and age group published, so I did my own with some Excel magic.

Female 77/111

Age Group 18/26

I have mapped out my race strategy here in tidbit 86 through 90 and am very happy to report that I was dead on when it comes to the race average. YIPPIE!!

Saturday was according to the weather forecast a perfect running day. The race didn't start until 8.45am and that was almost like sleeping in for me. I peeled out of bed around 7am, grabbed a pita bread with jello and went right back to bed for some more relaxation. My original plan was to race in shorts, but it was just way too cold for my taste. It was supposed to be a high in the mid 50s that day, but in the morning it was chilly.

Terry decided last minute that he is going to race too, so we headed out a little early since he had to register. As soon as we were at Furman, we were running into familiar faces from our Palmetto200 team, running group buddies, Malone Coaching athletes and people from Wednesday night GTC track practice.

By the time we walked over to the start line, my hands and feet were numb and I just wanted the race to take off so bad... Later I realized, that this was my first race EVER that I wasn't a complete nervous wreck at the start line and that happens after I haven't raced in close to three months. YAY.... Terry was happy about that one too, because I supposedly get very "intense" when I am nervous about a race and I am pretty much nervous about ANY race.

Off we went. I tried to not get pulled into the frenzy of the race start and focused on finding my rhythm and ignored all the people that were passing me. Keep in mind that I was shooting for a 9:45 minute mile throughout the race and only would try to pick it up in the final three miles. So the first two mile splits with 9:41 and 9:51 were right on track. NICE! Mile 3 was my fastest mile with 9:21 and I was just hoping that this is going to help if I would get tired later on. Around 3.5 miles I saw the first aid station coming up. Around mile 3 I popped two Shot Bloks and my stomach was funny, I had water with me, but I used the aid station to grab a cup and walk while I was drinking the cup in hopes that would settle my stomach a little and it worked.

For the next three miles I would go back and forth with two other ladies over the rolling hills of the course. Splits were 9:38, 9:51 and 9:44... Still on track! At an uphill shortly before mile six, I was finally able to drop them and then started to run with an older gentleman for the next mile until we reached the second aid station at around mile 6.5. Once again, I grabbed a cup of water and walked until I had finished the cup and then started back up again. The guy that I was running with kept on going through the water station and I wasn't able to catch up with him anymore.

Shortly after that, I passed mile marker 7 (10:14) and my original plan was to pick it up from there if I had anything left in the tank. Well, I didn't feel like I had anything left and was just hanging on for dear life from then on. There were three hills still to go and a lot of people around me hiked up the hills while I wanted to make a point and run, only to be passed back on the downhills again (there is still some room for strategy improvement for me). The last three miles had the splits 9:44, 9:45 and 9:16.

The last 0.25 miles of the course is flat and I tried to speed up once again, only to be passed by a girl with a jog stroller (thank you very much, but I admire that) and then being passed by a girl that I just passed on the last hill (CRAP)... Very frustrating... But then I heard footsteps coming from the back and thought... I just got passed by someone with a jog stroller and a girl that walked the hills and I will draw a line and if it makes me throw up and I picked up my feet. At least I didn't get passed by them anymore.

At the finish line I met up with Terry... We took a couple of pictures with friends and then proceeded to the Paladin Stadium for some food. The first couple of minutes after the finish line, I felt like my lungs are going to implode, but after a little while I felt better and I was proud of having accomplished my goal for that race.

Once again there were no t-shirts in the goody bag, but a pair of gloves and a beanie. This way, you can complete your runner's wardrobe one race at the time. This year, they had a photographer at the finish line and the pics are available at the GTC webpage from everyone that crossed the finish line. Cool stuff! Also very nice, was the special price they had if you signed up for the XTERRA 15K or the Sunrise 8K right away, you just paid 10 bucks per race. I signed up for 15K since I was planning on doing that race anyways. SWEET!

Since running a 10-miler isn't enough of a workout for me for one day, I did a computrainer session in the afternoon, but this is going to be the topic of my next post! So long! ;-)