St Patrick's Day 8K - Run

With about half a mile to go, Ray, a coach from our Potomoac River Running Club suddenly appeared at my side, having darted in from the sidelines. He checked how I was doing and encouraged me to really pick up the pace, well before I was thinking about doing so. This was hard, and I had to ease back just a tad for the final stupid little dodge up the side street because I was sure I was going to throw up (something I've never experienced before). Coming out of the street I heard his voice, and dug in with him shouting after me the whole way--"Now that's what I'm talking about!" And I just kept passing people. The finishing chute was a vague blur. I honestly don't think I had anything more in me; my partner said I looked completely dazed when she finally found me. But my goal was to break 8 minutes, and I did that!

Warmup longer. Get there a little earlier so I could start further to the front, not so many people to weave around at the beginning (although I'm not completely convinced that was the reason I was slow at the beginning).

3/4 mile jog. Stretches.


Inadequate warmup. Stuck too far back at the start. Possibly a little too much to eat the night before?


Didn't like the course. Too many 180 degree turns made it hard to get into a sustained rhythm. On the race site it says the reason the 10K was downgraded was because a hotel didn't want the streets in front closed and DC govt. is going along with it. They should pack it up next year and move out to Haines point along with Jingle all the Way, Veterans Day, etc. If private business interests are deciding what kinds of events are allowed to be run in the city, then you need to go where there aren't any.

No obvious seeding signs, and no apparent mile markers; if they were there they must have been microscopic. No one I talked to saw either seeding signs or mile markers.

Pretty happy with my performance overall, but didn't enjoy the event as much as last year, mainly because of the course.