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Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K - Run10k


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Baltimore, Maryland
United States
Bishop Events
28F / -2C
Sunny
Total Time = 46m 44s
Overall Rank = 7/80
Age Group = M 40-49
Age Group Rank = 2/8
Pre-race routine:

This race wasn't even in works six weeks ago. I had planned on finishing up a successful return to running by running a PR 5K at the Baltimore Running Festival. Mission accomplished, and then "The Plan" was to enter the off season and start up again in January.

I had been following Daniel's Running Formula through one of Switch's many challenge groups, and after the 5K PR and bouncing off the walls only three days into my off-season and being gently nudged (nagged :) ) by Salty, I kept up the running plan. I signed up for a 5 miler in early November and this race three weeks after.

Three weeks later I ran my first even 5-miler so I SO PR'd that. :-) I felt strong throughout and felt like I could've kept up that pace through 10K so I looked forward to this race. I had to back off the mileage a bit (was around 20 mpw) because my feet were acting up a bit but I entered this race fresh, about as healthy as a 44 YO runner is going to get.

I much prefer Saturday races, so for this Sunday race I mixed up my pre-race routine by running a little bit the day before. Pre-race dinner was steak and green beans. Got to bed early.

Side note: I had been peeking at the weather forecast this week for today, and all week the forecast got worse and worse...went to bed with 30 mph winds and falling temps.

2nd side note: I don't like running in cold weather.
Event warmup:

Up at 5 a.m. It's 24 degrees out and the wind chill is 15. It's a hilly course with areas really open to the wind. Sounds like fun!!

Did my usual pre-race routine: 15 min bike right after waking up, foam roller and some stretching. Light breakfast and coffee two hours out. Walked across to the race site (roughly 1/4 mile from my house...no way I couldn't do this race!). Picked up my race packet and just felt the bitter cold and wind. I felt really bad for the volunteers; at least I'd be moving the whole time.

Went back home and got ready for the race: thermal running tights, UA cold gear top plus a couple of t-shirts. Did a quick warm-up outside up to T pace and jogged back home. Stretched inside where it was warm. :)

Walked back over to the race start, stripped off the layers, and off we went.
Run
  • 46m 44s
  • 10 kms
  • 04m 40s  min/km
Comments:

I hadn't raced this distance in almost 3 years, but I was going to race it just like I did a 5 mile three weeks ago: first two miles M Pace, three miles at T, then see what's left. Execute the race plan. Execute. Execute. Execute.

First 1/2 mile is straight uphill, so I started out slowly. Crowned the hill and the next 2 miles are downhill, so I held roughly an 8 mile pace throughout, pushing the flats a bit. Hit the hill that turns into the wind a little after mile two an I thought I was running in place. 40 mph wind gusts?????? WTF??? I'm cold. \

I knew I just had to get past that and it would settle down (and be downhill or flat for almost a mile). Hit mile 2 at just under 16 min...tough to tell because I started my Garmin a few seconds after the start because the stupid 210 went into sleep mode. The downhill calmed me down and I ran the next 1/2 mile strong.

Now the climb. First we climb about 20 stairs, then a short break with 200 yards or so flat, then we repeat the first climb. I decided to burn some matches here and pushed a little up the hill. It was depressing seeing the Garmin around 8:30 but I know I could make it up on the downhill while recovering. Crested the hill and knew there was only one more tough patch left.

I picked up the pace, trying to hold maybe 7:30 or so through the next mile. With about 1.5 miles left, I thought to myself, "this will the last time you're going to run hard for a while, you're gonna crush your PR, now HTFU and pick it up!!!"

(I think I actually said that out loud)

Once mile marker 5 hit I had that awful uphill, smack your face with wind 1/4 mile section, and I was suffering for the first time. I remember something Daniels said in his book...when you are hurting, speed up. I did. Up the hill into the wind, pushing to keep sub-8 on the Garmin. Hit the crest and felt awesome.

Now it's time to kick it home. Unfortunately this is a small race so I was pretty much running a time trial, but I focused on the runner about 200 yards ahead of me and while I had no delusions of running him down, I could at least try to close the gap. I ran the final 1/2 mile sub 7 and gave a light sprint to the finish.

46:45ish. A PR by over 2 minutes. 2nd AG and 7th overall.

Garmin had me around 6 miles so I ran the tangents about as well as you can. MapMyRun has this at about 6.15ish so it's a bit short. I'll take the PR anyway. :-)

Strava splits:
Mile Pace GAP Elev (ft) Cadence
1 8:04 7:53 14 82
2 7:48 8:06 -68 83
3 8:07 8:00 8 82
4 8:06 7:45 43 82
5 7:43 7:55 -54 83
0.9 7:17 7:16 -5 84
What would you do differently?:

Sleep in and stay warm. :-)
Post race
Warm down:

Try not to freeze to death.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Crazy hilly course, freezing azz cold, windy as all get out. Perfect running weather. :)

Event comments:

The volunteers were awesome in this race...they were just standing around directing people. I thanked every one of them as I ran by...good karma and all.




Last updated: 2013-11-19 12:00 AM
Running
00:46:44 | 10 kms | 04m 40s  min/km
Age Group: 2/8
Overall: 8/80
Performance: Good
Course: Two laps in Patterson Park...first 1/2 mile climbs about 100 feet, and then that repeats at mile 3.2. Two brutal uphill windy areas. Rolling otherwise with lots of sharp turns. This course is brutal.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
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: Below average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2013-11-24 7:39 PM

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Expert
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Middle River, Maryland
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Subject: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K


2013-11-24 7:53 PM
in reply to: #4903950

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Royal(PITA)
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West Chester, Ohio
Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K

Sweet PR!!

Awesome race, very well done!!!

2013-11-24 8:35 PM
in reply to: #4903950

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Pro
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NJ
Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K
Nice PR! That sounds like a challenging course under good conditions, much less with that kind of wind. Your training and execution really paid off. Congrats!!!
2013-11-25 8:59 AM
in reply to: kcarroll

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Veteran
945
50010010010010025
South Windsor, CT
Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K
Outstanding race, Mike!
You did such a great job on everything-training, warmup, early pacing, pushing at the end etc...a well deserved PR and vdot jump. Congratulations.

I like that you realized that the pacing should be just like the recent 5 mile race-and starting off with a hill can be very deceiving. You need to stay in control in those first 2 miles and not burn matches there. Daniel's talks about changing speeds to faster because many of us probably don't push hard enough in races and going harder/faster sometimes helps with economy so there may not be a big cost despite the real increase in speed.

Fantastic way to close out the season!
2013-11-25 9:32 AM
in reply to: #4903950

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Regular
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Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K

Mike this is so cool to read.  It seems like so many in the Daniel's group have had great success with running lately, and what a race for you!  A two minute PR on a 10K is huge :)

The weather conditions sounded grim, but you totally handled that like a champ.  Gotta love a race where you can warm up at home, huh? :)

Loved how you decided to try the speed it up when you're hurting approach, and love even more that it WORKED! Sounds like you ran the whole thing very smart.

I don't know about the 210, but I know my 910 drops GPS signal and miscounts both pace and mileage if there are things overhead (trees usually).  The course distance may be right on.

Big congrats to you!

 

2013-11-25 11:18 AM
in reply to: switch

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Master
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Crab Cake City
Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K
Great job Mike!! I almost came back to Canton to do this race with my In-Laws but it was just too far of a drive on Sunday morning. I feel your cold weather pain though because I got to spend 4 hours outside Sunday putting up new shutters on the house. Way to tough out the temps and winds.


2013-11-25 12:43 PM
in reply to: dmbfan4life20

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Seattle
Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K

So awesome, Mike! I am proud to have hassled you into doing something you didn't want to do

 

2013-11-25 3:29 PM
in reply to: Asalzwed

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Pennsylvania
Subject: RE: Turkey Tumble for Autism 10K

Woooo hoooooo, congrats on another PR, Mike!   Your report was very enjoyable to read, and the point about going faster when you are suffering is an interesting one.

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