The first 2 miles were VERY crowded, and it didn't help that I'd started near the back. I did a lot of weaving. A lot of the women weren't racing hard - many of them wore packs on their backs and were walking immediately-it made for a lot of jockeying for position. Mile 3 was a little better, and at that point the 5K split off from the 10K and it was much more comfortable. I felt GREAT until about mile 3, when I started wheezing a little. Used my inhaler and it backed off, only to come back on mile 4. MOre inhaler....I could hear myself wheezing but I didn't feel air starved yet. I'd started out a little faster than I'd planned so I decided I would back off my pace for mile 5 then pick back up because I wanted a really strong finish. But that really wasn't to be, because during mile 5 my chest started to hurt BAD. I was feeling fatigued too, maybe the lack of breakfast? Anyway I pushed my hardest but the 9 min mile was the best I had for the last mile. I do feel like I lost my focus just a little during that mile, I don't know maybe I could have squeezed out a little more. It didn't feel like it at the moment. I didn't mind the crushed gravel at all but the coarse gravel was a little hard to run on and slowed me down a little too. Then I psyched myself out not ONCE but TWICE...first I thought the big red marker for the harbor entry was a finish, and had my hopes dashed when I realized how much farther I had to go. Then I spotted a clock - thought it was the finish so I gave it all I had - only to find out that it was the 3 mile marker for the 5K, and I had another .1 to go! Kept up the pace the best I could and finished gasping for air. I managed to leave it all on the course.

There were plenty of aid stations with water and gatorade but I didn't stop at any. I don't bring drinks for this distance in training so I didn't see the point in slowing down to drink - the aid stations were pretty crowded, most takers were stopping to walk.

I would have LOVED a sub 8:30 run but I'm very pleased with this. I don't have a 10k listed on this blog because I haven't done one for years...although a couple of years ago I had a faster 10k in training, it wasn't a race so I guess this could be considered a PR.

Start closer to the front.

Laura (StartingtoTri) and Jessica (jniekrasz) finished ahead of me and were waiting after I crossed the finish line :) We hung out and watched Laura (Whizzzzz) come across. Wandered around the "festival" a bit (just a few booths) and contemplated a free massage, but the line was LONG. So, off to breakfast with Whizzzz' sis and brother-in-law, and the rest of the BT racers.


Asthma and fatigue...not sure I could have done much about either one. The fatigue could have been lack of food but I think it was more having done Spirit a week ago, then not really taking much time to recover before I got back into training. I probably should have skipped yesterday's bike ride.


It's hard to rate this race when I don't do many run races. But this was one of the better ones, I would definietly do it again next year if I have the time and opportunity.