Parkway Classic 10 Miler - Run10 Mile

Self seeded near the front but in the correct corral. Went way to fast to start and then fell apart after mile 1.5. Was losing time and then losing time on the goal pace every mile for first 4-5 miles after mile 1.

Just past mile 4, Paddy ran away and on ahead. I felt thick and sluggish. I also had very mild anxiety that I wouldn't be able to stop the freefall and it would be a long 10 miles.

I hit bottom at mile five and wasn't going to really feel any worse. Found a groove and just started chugging away. I put two thoughts to the forefront and tried to crowd everything else out of my mind for an hour. First, make this mile at least as good as the last mile. Don't give up any seconds on the split. Even split this mile from the last mile. Second, I focused only on the right here/right now aspect of what was happening. I didn't look ahead or at the mileage or try to estimate finish times or anything other than what was happening right there in that particular .1 of a mile.

I picked up the pace at mile 8.5 and the increase in pace was pretty smooth. No major hiccups or cramps or problems with turning up too much juice. It was a steady increase of effort for about 12-15 minutes so the last 50 yards were as fast as the first mile. I am pleased with this especially with how crappy the first 10k felt.

Start off smoother. Arrest the free fall in the splits at 7:30 instead of waiting until 7:45...it almost got out of hand.

Goal time was 1:13. So even though this was a PR...I think it was only an A- or B+ for me. Great conditions, great course, good mix of people at paces. On a great day -- all things being equal, I think I had the fitness to have gone 1:11. Obviously, I didn't and there is some room for improvement.

Next to nothing. Started shivering right away. Walked 4 blocks to car, went to Pat and Jean's, changed into dry clothes, ate a piece of cinnemon bread with cream cheese, ran down to Mancini's to meet Dana and the kids where they were having pancakes. Went home and ate an egg and then played Legos for 2.5 hours.


The 113 miles on the bike Saturday probably put a dent in my freshness. Didn't have a good sense of pace until halfway through the race.


I drank a cup of water at mile 5 or 6 and a cup of Gatorade at mile 8 ish.

Like the race; still have room for improvement; wish there was a swim and bike beforehand to clear out some of the people who were in front of me.