On the Run: Allen Park 10K 2015

I didn't think I would be able to race the Allen Park 10K this year but last week my schedule opened up and I was able to add it my calendar.  It was my third time doing this event, having raced it previously in 2011 and 2013.  Last year I must have skipped due to my hamstring.

This event is about as perfect for me as it gets.  Race time is 9:00 so although it's in August and can be a little hot, it allows me to sleep in.  I only have a 10 minute drive.  My parents live a few blocks from the start line so I can park at their house.  And because they live in the city, they come out to see me race.  (Really the best part!)  The 10K is a double loop so that allows them to see me twice.  

This race is put on by the Downriver Runners.  They do a great job.  The course is lined with fabulous volunteers, ensuring nobody makes a wrong turn and no traffic gets in the way.  It's also an accurate course, which I fully appreciated after my last two 10Ks!  It's a small race but draws a competitive field.  Oh, and it's a cheap race!  I think it was $25. That was race entry plus a hat and water bottle.  

I went into the race tired, adjusting from a week of new paces and increased mileage.  I've been struggling physically and mentally with tempo work during training runs and was looking forward to the race environment to give me a push.  I have a confidence in a race that isn't there in training.  I was excited to just relax and do my thing.  

The weather turned out to be perfect - 70's, cloudy, and a slight drizzle.  I slept in, parked at my parents' house, hung out with them for a bit, and then ran my warm-up mile.  I arrived at the race during the National Anthem (about 10 minutes to start).  At the start line I talked to some old friends and made new friends (I love small races).  When the race started, I decided to stay as close as I could to my friend Rob (a fitness and nutrition coach) who I knew would be keeping a good pace.  He was a great rabbit and helped me maintain about a 6:50 pace for the first 4 miles.  Then he sped up ("the faster I run the sooner I'm done method" he said).  At that point I learned I was 3rd female.  That was all the motivation I needed.  Although I was pretty certain I wasn't going to catch 2nd place I was damn sure going to try!  I was able to narrow the gap significantly and chick one dude in the final half mile.  I crossed the finish line strong, proud to know I had given it my all.  

For the first time since my injury I ran a smart race.  I started out at the top end of my tempo zone and worked down from there.  I wanted to run a 6:45 pace and that's exactly what I did.  I ran with my legs and my heart.  I ran happy.  My parents were there cheering me on.  Brian was there.  I think this picture that Brian captured shows it all.

Photo Credit: Brian Wolski

I'm also pleased to say that this was a post-injury PR and a course PR.  Still working my way back towards my 10K PR but that will take some time.  I placed 1st in my age group, 3rd woman, and 10th overall.  I won another pint glass to add to my collection!  And I got to hang out and celebrate after with other fabulous RUNdetroit Flight Club ladies who also placed in their age groups!

Photo Credit: Brian Wolski

Time 

41:55 

 

Pace  
6:44 min/mile

    

Fuel 

Kit's Organic Fruit + Seed Bar, Banana

   

Tunes 

10th Floor Ghost Girl / Cibo Matto
The Wolf / Mumford & Sons

  Random Name Generator / Wilco

  Dead Brains / Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas

The Innocent / Mayer Hawthorne 
The Walker / Fitz & The Tantrums 
Shake it Off / Taylor Swift 
Runaway Baby / Bruno Mars 
I Love It / Icona Pop
Dancing Shoes / Arctic Monkeys
50 Ways to Say Goodbye / Train
 Deceptacon / Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas

Love Runs Out / OneRepublic

I wore my new racing flats for the first time: Saucony Type A6.  I usually wear the Fastwich 6, which are a stability flat but I wanted to try a neutral shoe.  These shoes are fantastic!  Super light and comfortable.  LOVE LOVE LOVE!  

Photo Credit: Brian Wolski

Saturday is long run day so after the race I ran 9 more miles through Allen Park.  I lived there for about 12 years so it's my second home town.  It was nice to explore the city on foot again, revisiting some of the areas I used to walk around (because I was NOT a runner when I was growing up).  I covered some good ground, got a little lost, and eventually found my way back to my parents' house again.  By the time all my running was done for the day - race, warm-up/cool-down, and extra miles - I'd logged 17 miles for the day.  My longest run since my marathon in October!  The hamstring was feeling it in the last mile but after a day of rest and foam rolling, I should be feeling better.

Maybe this race was the confident boost I needed.  Bring on another week!

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

 

On the Run: Allen Park 10K 2011

I lived in Allen Park for 13 years and this was the first time I ran in the Allen Park 5K/10K.  In fact, on Saturday I ran more miles in Allen Park than I did in all the time I lived there!  Anyway, I felt the time had come and sort of at the last minute Katie and I decided to do this race.  It had been a while since our last race so we felt ready to take on another.  Plus, Allen Park is so close and we could park at my mom and dad's, use their bathroom instead of gross Port-a-Potties, and walk three blocks to the starting line.  It was also a small race so there wouldn't be any hassle with crowds.  And it was only a 10K.  Easy, right?

Wrong.  I mean, we were right about all the logistics of the race but one thing we failed to take into consideration was the weather.  Specifically the heat.  More specifically the humidity.  Remember the horror that was the Dexter-Ann Arbor 1/2 Marathon?  Yeah, it was that all over again but thankfully this was only 6.2 miles.  Only 6.2 miles, however, was still about 3.2 miles more than I was comfortable with.  But let's start at the beginning.

The weather seemed nice when I first went outside.  A little warm but not too bad.  By the time the race started at 9:00, however, the temperature was definitely starting to creep up.  I planned to start out slow so I didn't overexert myself too early and had a playlist designed to set that beginning pace and slowly build as I ran.  And then I realized that I didn't properly sync my iPod so I didn't have that playlist.  I wasn't in the mood for one of my others so I did something I've never done at a race: I hit "shuffle."  Fortunately, this is my old Nano and because I use it exclusively for working out, everything on there is fine for running.  Except that some are slower warm-up songs, some are faster mid-run songs, and some are those power-pumping, drag-your-butt to the finish line songs when all you want to do is flag down the nearest emergency vehicle for a ride to Starbucks.  I like being able to plan out at which point in the race certain songs come on but I decided to take my chances.  

Anyway, the playlist wasn't the problem.  If only.  I started out a little faster than I should have but not by much.  Under normal circumstances that wouldn't have been a big deal.  But back to that humidity. All too soon I realized that I should have worn a tank top instead of the tee shirt I chose at the last minute.  Mistake #1.  I also should have stopped for a drink sooner than I did.  Mistake #2.  When I stopped for a drink, I should have made sure it was water and not Gatorade.  Mistake #3.  I only had a sip or two and when I got to what I knew was definitely a water station (manned by a cute little old couple), I made sure to stop.  It was too late, though.  The Gatorade on a nearly empty stomach just made me want to throw up.  Plus my heart rate was at a steady 200, which is way too high.  

A rare moment of running near the end.

So I did what I hate to do the most.  I walked.  I had no other choice.  So from mile 4.5 to the end, I alternated between running and walking; running til I couldn't stand it anymore, then walking til my heart rate dropped to 190, then running again.  At this point I didn't care about my time or pace.  I just wanted to get to the end without collapsing on the streets of Allen Park.  Somehow I managed to keep going and Katie finished just after me.  

Photo finish:

What is UP with that weird leaning-back stride thing I've got going on?

 And after the race - a photo I'm particularly proud to show you:

Look to the finish line - it's Katie!

So, I think I've learned my lesson about running in the humidity.  I shouldn't do it!  Well, for races, at least.  Until I do a better job acclimating, my body clearly won't be able to handle it.  

All in all, though, it wasn't the worst race.  (That prize goes to Dexter-Ann Arbor.)  As I mentioned, it was close, easy to get to, and not crowded.  The course was through residential neighborhoods with plenty of shade and lots of people out to show support.  A 9:00 start time is a little late for an August 10K, though, and the goodie bag, tee shirt, and post-race food wasn't much to speak of.  (Though you'd think an event sponsored by the Detroit Lions might have a little more to offer than a plastic key chain, a pen, and a pencil.)

The best part of the race?  (Yes - surprise! - there was something good about it.)  The best part was having my mom and dad there to cheer me on.  This was the first time they'd seen me in a race and I was really proud to be able to run past them and see them clapping and waving.  They were stationed about half a mile before the finish and they stayed out until Katie and I had passed them both times (for the 10K you had to do the same loop twice - another downside).  Brian was with them the first time and then moved to the end to see us finish.

See how excited I was to see Brian and my parents?  [Note: This was during the first loop so I was still in good shape.]

So, would I do this race again?  My first thought was "Never again!"; however, a small-town race with a great friend and my family on the sidelines definitely has appeal.  I'll just be sure to check the weather forecast before signing up for it next year.  

Time

 55:03

Pace

8:53/mile

Fuel

Toasted Nuts and Cranberry Luna Bar, banana

Tunes

iPod set to "shuffle"