Hobby Jogging: 3/5/11 - Cary, NC - Cary Distance Festival 10k

Saturday was one of those races that just never really felt right. I was excited about the race and drove the course Friday night to get a feel for it, but a few miles in, I realized I just didn't have it! Everything started off ok though. Got over to the race, picked up my number and John and I knocked out an easy 2 mile warm up on the course. Did my usual strides and an easy jog up to the line with a shake out stride and walk back to the start and was ready to roll. The whistle was blown to kick the race off and I got off the line well. John and I ran together for a very good first mile in 5:38-9 and were slowly picking those off that went out too fast. We hit the longest hill on the course on mile 2 up Maynard and that is where things started to go off track.

We made the turn at 2 miles in around 11:38 and this is where I started to fade. At first I wasn't worried as I thought I would catch a 2nd wind after the 2nd mile, but that never happened. 2 weeks of traveling and shotty training due to a dinged up shin and calf were starting to catch up with me. All the strength I had felt negative splitting my last few races and workouts was not there. During mile 3 about 4 guys passed me. I locked on to the back of the train and held on the best I could as we hit the 3 mile in 17:40 and 5k in 18:22 or so.

The second half of the course was back in some neighborhood behind downtown Cary. Lots of twists and turns including a 180 degree turn at around 4.5 miles had my right leg hurting pretty bad. I was getting slower, but couldn't do anything about it. Hit 4 miles in 23:58 and 5 miles in 30:15. This is not what I had planned! Chugged through the last mile and was able to get one scalp in there from a fading triathlete looking runner. Dug in the last 400 or so to finish 9th overall in 37:46 (and 2nd in my age group). Not my best day, but not a total loss.

The bright side of the race was that it was the 4th race of the Second Empire Grand-Prix and I was able to hold serve at 2nd overall (when they compile the results). I am liking my chances to finish top 5 overall (the ultimate goal) and will be happy to have a short break after next weeks Run for the Oaks 5k. Also, this course wasn't easy. It kicked my butt a lot more than I thought it would. Lots of hills, very windy and too many turns on the 2nd half, so a great strength workout at minimum. Finally, I don't love the time, but not too long ago it would have been a great one, so I'll accept that as a small victory to acknowledge how far I have come in just 2 years of competing!

For more info, check out: http://patprice.com/running/races/reports/20110305CaryDistanceFest.htm

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