On the Run: Allen Park 10K 2013

Anyone else feeling a slightly TIRED after running through Allen Park today?  (wink wink)  Actually, I'm feeling pretty good right now.  The weather was beautiful this morning - temps in the 60's, sunshine, light breeze.  No complaints for an August race!  I won't lie by saying I love this race.  It's only my second time doing it because it's not a particularly scenic route and the 10K runners do the same loop twice.  In fact, after doing it the first time I vowed never to do it again!  (You can read about that race here.)

When it came up again this year, however, I decided to run it again for several reasons.  First of all, races are great for my marathon training.  Today I needed 7 miles at race pace.  6.2 was close enough.  Second, my parents live in Allen Park.  This is a rare opportunity for them to walk a few blocks and be able to cheer me on.  Third, it's a nice and inexpensive small-town race.  Win, win, win!  

And I did!  Well, not 1st but 2nd in my age group and 15th overall (out of 157).  My friend Andy ran the 5K and he tied for 2nd in his age group, as well!  The prize was a whiskey glass.  I don't drink whiskey but I'm sure I could pour some wine into it!

Today's race was my first since GLR and I really thought I was going to knock this one out of the park.  My training pace has improved so I expected to kick it up a notch during the race.  And I did - but only in the second half.  I started out too conservative and by the time I realized how much faster I could go, I was halfway through and couldn't make up for lost time.  (Can you ever?)  So what should have been a faster race, maybe even a PR, was simply the same pace as my last two 10K road races.  Before GLR.  Before I knew what I was truly capable of.  It isn't that I'm not pleased with how I did.  I just know I could have done better. (Although I certainly win "most improved" award from the last time I ran this race!)

I guess I'll just have to run harder from the get-go at my next race in 2 weeks!

   

Time 

  43:34   

 

Pace  
7:02 min/mile

    

Fuel 

Banana

   

Tunes 

Spark / Fitz & the Tantrums 
50 Ways to Say Goodbye / Train

  Treasure / Bruno Mars

  Little Numbers / Boy

  Back Seat Lover / Mayer Hawthorne 
I Love It / Icona Pop 
Something Good Can Work / Two Door Cinema Club 
Beanbag Chair / Yo La Tengo 
Firework / Katy Perry 
Worship You / Vampire Weekend 
Hell / Tegan & Sara
 Hooray for Hollywood / Neon Trees

The Antidote / St. Vincent

Next race: Farmington Run for the Hills 10k, August 17th