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Too Hot to Handle - 15K - Run15k


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Dallas, Texas
United States
Run On
85F / 29C
Overcast
Total Time = 1h 12m 55s
Overall Rank = 96/789
Age Group = M 25-29
Age Group Rank = 9/38
Pre-race routine:

Woke up around 5:45 after one of the longer nights of sleep I've had in a while. Lounged for about 15 minutes before eating a bagel with peanut butter and a 20 oz bottle of gatorade. Got to the race site about 6:50. Big mistake! There were so many people trying to park it was ridiculous. I was starting to wonder if I was going to get parked in time to race. Finally get parked about 7:15, and then I have to go through a long line to get my chip. Get my chip about 7:30, which is supposedly the time the race is going to start. Well crap, I never got a chance to find Ashley, Tahressa, or Brandon. They delay the start a few minutes, and it starts right as I get to the starting gate.
Event warmup:

Walked down the hill. Didn't have much time for stretching.
Run
  • 1h 12m 55s
  • 9.32 miles
  • 07m 49s  min/mile
Comments:

There were so many people here. I've never witnessed a mass start like this. The gun goes off, and I stand for probably 2 full minutes waiting to go. Annoying...I was ready to run! Finally get going, and I'm having to wade through people to keep my desired pace of 8:00 min/mile. I'm having to rotate my shoulders 90 degrees to squeeze through. Finally just got off the road. I'd guess a large chunk of the first mile is done off the track just to avoid people. Finally get settled in, and about mile 2 or 3 I hear somebody yell my name. What the hell!?!? Oh, it's Gary. I remember him saying he'd be out. So I holler back at him, and keep running. Take 2 cups at the first aid station, which is about a mile and a half in. One to drink (which I am getting much better at drinking while running), and one to throw on the head. Same at the mile 3 aid station and the mile 4 1/2 aid station. About mile 5 I finally get passed by the first person - this beautiful girl just flies by me. Wow, I think. I sure wish I had the legs to keep up with her. But I don't even try! Drop my only gel at before the mile 6 aid station. Stop here to get 2 cups of water to drink since I took the gel. Around mile 7 some older gentleman sees my Alley Fest shirt on and asks if I'm from Longview. Nope, I say. But I grew up there. He proceeds to tell me that his son lives there and says a few words about how much he enjoys the atmosphere at Alley Fest. I guess, I'm thinking. If he grew up in Longview, he probably wouldn't have said that. Eventually he says, get out of here kid, I know you can run faster than this. So I say, yes sir, and take off. Approach the hill at the dam around mile 7 or 8, and this really took the wind out of me. I don't mind the hills usually, but this one hurt a little. HR rised up to 190 here, as it always rises on the hills. Tried to stay strong with my cadence over the last mile or so, and I believe I did a fairly good job. Saw the finish line and did a solid job of sprinting in from about 150 yards out.
What would you do differently?:

Should've brought another gel. Only one wasn't quite enough. And I should've brought my water bottle. I didn't get as much fluids as I would've like to. I think I could've paced myself a bit faster than I did actually, because I still had some juice left in the tank when I finished.
Post race
Warm down:

Tahressa yelled for me as I was finishing, so after grabbing some water I spun around to find her. Just said hello when Brandon ran by, so she left to see him as he finished. I knew Ashley couldn't be too far behind, and I knew her number so I watched until she finished. Introduced myself to her since we've sent inspires to each other but never really met. And oddly enough her friend (I want to say her name is Melanie, but I'm horrible with names) was in my swim class with DAM. How odd is that. At disco I saw Mariano from swim class. Of course, Clint (CRay) was in the class. I think the whole class was full of beginner triathletes! Chatted with them about their race. Very happy Ashley finally ran the lake. I know my first time I felt like I had conquered the world! Headed up the hill, grabbed some bananas and some vitamin water. Dropped the bananas. Grabbed some more. Chatted until results came, and headed home to shower so I could catch the TDF party at David and Sarah's.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Didn't hydrate and nutrate (is nutrate a word - let's just say provide nutrition) as well as I should have, which I'm a little disappointed because I knew I needed to.

Event comments:

Nice race overall. I'm happy with my time, and I set my goals of under 1:14:00 and having negative splits and finishing in the top 20%. My mile times weren't quite within 15 seconds of each other, but the difference between my fastest mile and slowest mile was 18 seconds so I wasn't far off.

The race was about as organized as it could be for an estimated 2000 racers at WRL. And for 25 bucks, I got a nice Brooks running cap and singlet and either a $10/$20 off coupon for my next pair of running shoes should I choose to get Brooks running shoes. I'd say I made out like a bandit! Especially since I will most likely use the coupong since I will probably get new running shoes this week sometime! A great race, and I'll most likely do this again next year if it fits in my schedule.




Last updated: 2007-05-26 12:00 AM
Running
01:12:55 | 9.32 miles | 07m 49s  min/mile
Age Group: 9/38
Overall: 96/789
Performance: Good
1st 5k stats - 24:27.25, max HR 172, avg HR 167 2nd 5k stats - 24:14.65, max HR 178, avg HR 172 3rd 5k stats - 24:14.05, max HR 190, avg HR 175
Course: 1 loop around White Rock Lake. Flat for the most part. Only the hill at the dam was of any significance.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Average
Mental exertion [1-5] 3
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 4

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2007-07-21 6:42 PM

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Expert
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Longview, TX
Subject: Too Hot to Handle - 15K


2007-07-22 11:28 AM
in reply to: #895518

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Extreme Veteran
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Dallas, TX
Subject: RE: Too Hot to Handle - 15K
Way to go yesterday, Clint!!  Excellent pacing!  Especially considering how brutal the last 1.5-2 miles were.  Great to finally meet you!  Keep up the good work!
2007-07-22 11:51 AM
in reply to: #895518

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Champion
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Butler
Subject: RE: Too Hot to Handle - 15K
Great Race.
2007-07-23 6:00 AM
in reply to: #895518

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Master
2381
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Frisco, Texas
Subject: RE: Too Hot to Handle - 15K

Nice race.  I like the way you set specfic goals and then stick to a plan to achieve the goal.  That will be important for IMAZ!

TJ

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