Jingle All the Way 10K - Run10k

Very disappointing race. I was aiming to hit about a 7.55 pace, and I was thinking of the race in three parts: first three miles, next two, and the last mile. I made an effort to really hit the pace out of the gate. I felt as if I was running hard, so I was a little disappointed to see that I was 8.06 at the first mile. I didn't want to panic so I gradually stepped up the pace, and things seemed to be going all to plan up through mile 4. Then the wheels fell off completely. I began to feel the strain in mile 5, but it didn't seem to be that bad--until I looked at my watch. Then in the final mile, as I tried to pick up the pace, I got really bad stitch in my right side. I tried everything, running through it, upping my breathing rate, slowing my breathing, but nothing worked. The pain got worse and worse, until coming down the stretch I was leaning to my right and groaning every so often (much to the consternation of people around me, I'm sure). The frustrating thing was that I felt I still had it in my legs, and aerobically I still had something left, and after mile 5 I would ordinarily be sprinting for all that I was worth. But I just couldn't get the energy past the pain in my side.

I could have trained a little more, especially in terms of volume, but I wasn't hopelessly unprepared. So I really don't know. My time was slower than last year.

Jogging back to the car. Temperature plummeted just after we finished (I put on all the extra clothes I brought) and it began to rain slightly.


Wish to Christ I knew.


This race is really growing in popularity; it's becoming kind of the unofficial end of season race for a lot of people, I think. Really great atmosphere.