10k time trial (9.25.22)

I set up my Garmin for a 10k race. But it was a made up race. With all the kids home all the time all summer, it was just hard to get runs in. I cut almost every run short because I just couldn't be gone long enough.  I used the Garmin Training plan initially with a date of Sept 17 but then got too busy and air quality got bad so I pushed the date of the "race" a week later.  

I ran that today. I timed it that I'd finish the 10k before I have to run up the stupid steep hill.  Then I turned around late so I decided to do a benchmark run for my next training plan right after. I was surprised how well I did on that with having already run a hard 10k. It was so hot and sunny too. 

I didn't take enough water.  I knew I wasn't taking enough but then during the run I felt like it'd be cheating to pause my timer to take the lid off my water bottle and fill it up at the water fountain so I didn't do that. I'm pretty sure my time would have been worse if I stopped since being in the groove of running at the end is what kept me going and slowing to cross the street just kept me running a bit slow after. 

NRC achievements (only been using NRC Since September 2021)

Screen shot from a few weeks ago with how confident the app was that I'd make 58 minutes. 

My goal time was 58 minutes. I did not think I'd meet that. According to NRC I hit 10k at 56:28.  My old 10k PR is 56:01 from 2011. 56:13 was my 2nd best from 2009. That one was my first 10k ever.  I've done a few 10k since having kids but none as good as today.  So today is my third best. 

It's different just doing a 10k on my own versus at an actual race. The race adrenaline just isn't there so I feel like I did pretty well. 

I don't know why I was so not confident in even hitting 58. I would hit and beat my speed runs. I just felt like I was cutting my runs all too short so I thought I'd run out of steam. I did run out and the last 2 miles were tougher. The first 3 were no problem.  My mile splits did get worse. 

I'm definitely the type of person who needs to train longer than the race. I notice lots of people don't need to. They are fine running 10 mi as the longest training run before a half. I am not. I need longer. After more than 10 years of running races, I have learned I need longer so that's always good to know. 

Next up is a training plan for a half marathon. I just need to find an actual race now. 

Strava Mile splits (Garmin sends Data to Strava)

Strava achievements

NRC mile splits

Mapmyrun mile splits

Garmin Mile Splits

I hate how you can only get 5 miles of mile splits properly onto a mapmyrun display. it's annoying. if you look on the website you still can't see it as well as any other app. I actually like how Strava looks better than Garmin for splits but it is Garmin's Data. 

According to Garmin my fastest mile and slowest mile were 44.1 seconds different. According to NRC the difference was 57 seconds! And Mapmyrun had the spread at 41 seconds. The goal is to be more consistent.  I ran an 18 mile race once with only 26 seconds of range from slowest to fastest.  (Both races not counting partial mile at the end.)   I did have a downhill in mile one in the 10k so that helped make it the fastest. 

I just realized a day later I never took my inhaler. At an actual race where adrenaline has me going faster, I would have needed it for sure. It probably would have helped anyway. Near the end of the run, smoke smell was annoying. The app said air quality was 75 when I finished the run which isn't that bad but it got a little worse. Dave went outside later and said he smelled smoke too even though air quality technically wasn't that bad. 

Mermaid 10 Mile Race

I signed up for the Mermaid 10 mile race in early June.  I decided to sign up on International Running Day when prices were cheaper. I figured I should run a race at some point running across the Golden Gate Bridge even though I didn't want to. The 10 mile length was the only length running across the bridge. 

I forgot to write my post initially.  

I was super stressed about driving down then someone mentioned carpooling. I was all for it. Then some others mentioned carpooling. Instead of her picking me up at my house I drove to her house and we left from there. We left a little late. Things took some time. I almost asked to use her bathroom and didn't. Then when we parked I almost didn't make it to the bathroom.  I feel like getting to parking took way longer than I thought. We initially went to one place but nobody was parked there so we parked where the email said to park and some beach parking.  At the bathroom, I realize that I do not have my energize. I think it fell out in her car. We go check. It didn't. I can't believe I do have it. I'm so mad. I really love the energize it gives me especially for a long run or a race.  Also on the way to the bathroom and then after the back of my leg was bleeding. I wiped the blood that dripped down my entire leg but it kept bleeding.  Someone in the carpool had liquid bandaid but that didn't help. 

We had to walk a little less than a mile to get to the start. We were running late.   We get to the start as they are singing the national anthem.  That's pretty late!

I didn't have my apps started to track my run when the starting gun went off.  I didn't have my interval timer set. I didn't have my podcasts on.  I lingered a bit and started without it ready.  Then I was setting things up the first quarter mile at least. So I was running it more of a warmup. Then I was all set and ready to run and it was up hill and narrow.  I did not realize the next mile would be on a narrow trail where you couldn't pass.  Once the narrow trail was done it was time for the Golden Gate Bridge.  I wouldn't pass their either even though you could. I was too scared to go around anyone on the left.  It was so windy. I felt like that was worse for being scare. It was definitely worse for running. I held my visor for most of the race. 

I was surprised how we got from one side to the other. There were stairs and a little thing that was under the bridge and then back up stairs.  We ran barely any at all on the other side. I was passing a little but also decided to quit carrying my tail wind water bottle and I threw it in the recycling. 

I tried that tail wind one other time. I do not know why I hated it this time. When I forgot energize I tried to drink some before the race. Then I hated it every sip during the race. I hated taking the lid off. I think I hated it more since it was extremely shaken up from running and holding it. 

It was foggier on the way back.  I still wouldn't pass. 

I regretted having tail wind in my water bottle in my pocket. I wished it was water.   I got water at all the stops. I specifically read in advance the nutrition they'd offer. Well I never saw it ever so I never got any. Sadly I didn't bring my own. (Tail wind is nutrition so it wasn't like I didn't have any. Also I often would run long runs close to 10 mi without nutrition.)

The last 3 miles or so were nice being net downhill. 

I checked the weather in advance but it was colder than I thought. It felt way colder with the wind. I wore a tank top in shorts. That wasn't bad when running but after it was horrible. I was so cold. Most everyone ran in pants and long sleeve shirts. I saw maybe 1 other person in a tank and a couple in shorts.  Then people had long sleeve shirts and checked more warm clothes in a bag check. I should have done a bag check! I had to wait so long for Yvonne to finish. Her booster shot wiped her out so she decided to walk the 10 mi race. So I had to wait a long time. After the race some people even had big puffy winter coats!

After I got to meet people in a running group I'm part of on facebook. That was nice to finally meet some of them. 

During the race, the 10 mi met up with both the 5k and the 10k people. It was mostly the walkers at this point so it was kind of annoying going around them. 

I had my interval timer set but didn't use most of them. I ran at the pace of the people in front of me since I couldn't pass. I could barely hear it anyway. I definitely couldn't hear the podcasts I had playing. 

1:48:24 was my time. I told people my goal was 1:50. I figured 1:50 would account for the hills but really I wanted 1:45. I wanted 1:40 if it was flat so then 1:45 to push myself on this race. I was so late I didn't even process goal times and what the goal pace for 1:45 would be. 

I wrote 80% of this right away with notes for the rest but then a month later finished it!

I would say so many things went wrong this race. All the things I am always afraid of. It was stressful still it all worked out. 

We carpooled

Back of my leg that bled (from shaving) 

I took many photos while running.

My leg kept bleeding and I'd constantly wipe it.

While on the bridge, the winner of the race was coming over the other side about 2 miles ahead of me!

The steps to go under the bridge

I paid for the professional photos.

Running into the finish

Apparently when I tried to finish strong I look like I'm coming in like an attack dinosaur.

It a race to have the app say "Room to grow" instead of "Good Job." It was supposed to be goal pace repeats and i just started that workout on race day since I was to the start line so late.