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River City Rat Race - Run


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Fort Wayne, IN
United States
Fort Wayne Track Club
74F / 23C
Sunny
Total Time = 50m 48s
Overall Rank = 257/455
Age Group = 35-40
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

I woke up at 7am and had a piece of peanut butter and jelly toast, half a glass of milk and drove to the event. Registered and attached my race number to my belt and had a power bar and water. Drank 32oz's of water from 7am until race time at 9am.
Event warmup:

Did some light running and stretching before the race. Talked with a couple of buddies of mine that were running their first 10K about pacing and the course.
Run
  • 50m 48s
  • 6.2 miles
  • 08m 11s  min/mile
Comments:

I started out way too slow and way too far back in the pack to reach my race goal of less than 50 min's. I really wanted to see 49:59 on the board when I finished. The first 1/2 mile I ran in 5 min's helping my buddies establish a pace they wanted to keep then at that point I took off from them. Hoping to make up some time and did so at the expense of getting pretty thirsty by mile 3. My first lap was definately my slowest but overall I can't be too disappointed for my first race of the season. I think if I would of known where the 5.5 mile marker was I could of kicked it in and still hit my goal time. I heard I guy (volunteer) say to a racer in front of me only 3/4 of a mile to go and held back a little bit. It turned out to be only 1/4 mile left so I must of misheard him. Afterall, I was a bit back from him when he said it and my mind was on keeping my pace going. My splits were: 8:26 7:55 8:19 8:25 8:17 8:10. So where could I of made up 49 secs? Well I walked briefly at the 3 mile water station to get the water in my mouth instead of all over the front of my shirt like the first water station and I walked again briefly at the 5 mile marker water station to get again the water in my mouth. I was deadly thirsty the entire time for some reason. I really thought I was hydrated enough. The time of the walk breaks probably totaled 20 secs total but I am not sure. It is added into my 8:19 & 8:25 splits. Plus had I not had to weave in and around people from starting in the back of the pack and not having basically walked the first 1/2 mile with my buddies I think I would of been somewhere in the neighborhood of 48 min's total. I don't regret setting a pace for them but it sure was disappointing to me to see 50 crossing the line. On a side note they each achieved their goal times of less than 56min's for Joe and less than 1:06 for Mark. Joe came in at 55 and change while Mark was in at 1:04 and change. The hardest part for me was the downtown road part. Miles 4 thru 5.5 was in the sun and away from the rivers so it was hot and I was thirsty. After I got into my rhythem I think I was only passed by 5 people and got 2 of them back on some of the up and down hills. I was able to push up the hills pretty good. I did a pretty good job of pacing myself throughout the race which took some mental effort especially right around the 4-5 mile points. Kept talking to myself to keep my cadence up, I felt like I was slowing down so I would pick up my cadence and when the checkpoint came in I was still running the 8 min pace or close too it. During training I have been averaging 10 min miles using the HR monitor so it was a pleasant surprise to see myself holding in the 8's.
What would you do differently?:

Run my own race next time and just go after it. Plus doing some hill training. Up to this point I have done absolutly none. Do some speed work again I have done absolutely none, only been doing base building for this year and I think speed work along with hill work would significantly improve my times.
Post race
Warm down:

Walking and light stretching, walked back out towards 6 mile marker to cheer in Joe and Mark. Ate some cheese squares and water at the food station after the race. Sucked down some Endurox after the race and some gatorade. Light jog back to truck.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

No hill training or speed work. Set pace on first 1/2 mile for 10min miles for buddies.

Event comments:

I really like this race and this course and wish I would have continued to run in it each year. I ran the first one and then missed the next 3 being lazy and out of shape. First race 4 years ago was 54.45 so I knocked 4 min's off my PB. Next year they are moving the race to the fall. It has rained every year except this year and they are hoping to avoid that by running in October.




Last updated: 2004-05-18 12:00 AM
Running
00:50:48 | 06.2 miles | 08m 11s  min/mile
Age Group: 21/
Overall: 0/455
Performance: Good
Course: The course was laid out the same as 4 years ago when I ran it for the first 3 miles so I knew what to expect for the first half of the race. It was relatively flat up to this point. The hills were probably best described as small and rolling for parts of the race. We crossed the rivers several times which had small hills going over the brigdes and under some of them and back up on parts of the river walk. Ended at the old fort which was pretty cool. We came by the finish at about 3.5 miles and then circled out and back to finish there.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2004-06-01 12:06 AM

Extreme Veteran
444
10010010010025
Fort Wayne, IN
Subject: River City Rat Race


2004-06-01 7:23 AM
in reply to: #28319

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Veteran
267
1001002525
Southern Ohio
Subject: RE: River City Rat Race
Congratulations on your PB! Good Race!
2004-06-01 9:16 PM
in reply to: #28319

Subject: ...
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