Race Result

Racer:	Cynthia Couture
Race:	Cascades 10K
Date:	Saturday, May 27, 2006
Location:	Sterling, VA
Race Type:	Run - 10 km
Age Group:	Female 30 - 34
Time:	1:10:37
Overall Place:	659 / 741
Age Group Place:	51 / 56

Race Report:

Pre-race routine:

Up at 5:30 Coffee & cheese toast for breakfast and out the door. Arrived an hour before the start (thought it would take longer to get there), but scored a decent place to park at least. Walked over to start, checked things out, ran into Ernie went back over to my car to listen to music and chill out til about 7:30. (No bag check, so I had to forgo my usual "stay plugged into the ipod until the last possible minute" routine.)

Event warmup:

Just walking & some stretching. It was already warm for a change at the start, so I wasn't having to try and actively stay warm waiting for things to get going for once.

The run:

Today demonstrated why I usually run alone rather than with anyone, and will definitely try my hardest to run alone the rest of the season. Seeded myself towards the back as I usually do, met a nice guy named Steve who noticed the BT temporary tat I wear when I race, we chatted a bit, he's "getting back into shape" and doing MCM this year too. He also did a tri in high school - I tell him he should do another one. :) And we ended up starting off together. We both talked about how we tend to go out too fast, so that's good - we're both in the same boat. However, his too fast is a little faster than my too fast! (Why do I always end up next to the former track runners, even at the back of the pack?)

The course is 2 loops, with water stations at 2 & 4, which effectively ends up as water stations at 1, 2, 4 & 5, and they are actually prepared for everyone to hit them twice - I certainly can't complain about that. First mile comes in at 9:47. Yes, that would be a sub 10. Though I wasn't struggling staying with him, it's definitely too fast, especially since this is the warmest weather I've raced in to date. Short walk at the first water station and we're off again. Fortunately a little slower for mile 2, but still I realize my head will explode if I keep this up - I walk the water station, he runs it and drops me - this does not hurt my feelings at all. :) It's warmer than I'm used to, even with the afternoon training I've done, but I'm still feeling good, but really mindful of the temps and any changes in how I feel.

Around mile 2.5 I decided discretion was the better part of valor and run/walk was in order. Given that it was over 70 already, not much breeze and not enough cloud cover, I set my watch for 5/1 intervals and water stops are a bonus - I'd rather go slow and keep things in check than spontaneously combust - would have done 10/1s if it were cooler, but just didn't want to make myself sick. More heatproofing is definitely in order this season. About this time is when we also pass the pumper truck!! The race benefits the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department, and they had the hoses out! Unfortunately, they weren't aiming them straight at the runners... But got a nice mist going through it, which was awesome. Forget water conservation, this was an act of mercy for the runners.

Mile 3 hits at a little out & back off the main route. As I am heading out, I see Steve coming back - he's blownout and doing run/walk too - makes me feel a bit better that it didn't really take him much longer than it did me to decide "it's too hot to go fast." Actually, there were tons of folks around us all doing the same thing - it's really the first warm weather race for a lot of us, and no one will admit they're hot. But you do hear a lot of, "It's kinda warm out here..."

Approaching mile 4, I start thinking I'm having auditory hallucinations. Great - the heat really IS getting to me. "Does anyone else hear bagpipes?" Thankfully, I was not the only one, and one of the firetrucks had bagpipe recordings blasting at the next corner. I love bagpipes. I have no idea why, but I do, and that was great. (Even better when I realized they were real and not my imagination.) I am still sticking faithfully to the 5/1s, I'm hot, sweaty and gross, but not wanting to die, so it's working very well.

Another break at the 2/5 water stop and it definitely feels good, I won't even pretend that it didn't. Then the pumper trucks again!! I proclaim my undying love for them as I go by. Not too long after this it occurs to me - a mile left!! And my usual last mile mantra pops up: "Anyone can do a mile!"

We turn a corner heading into mile 6 and the finish. It's downhill. A gorgeous, beautiful downhill. Pass mile 6 and around a curve where one of the firemen is telling us "just a quarter mile left!" I correct him on his math. Rather loudly. Wheeeeeee, I can see the finish!!!! Amazing how your stride can just really pick up when you see that banner. I saw Ernie over on the side of the course and yelled to him, and go careening across the finish line with a nice leap. (I may be slow, but I can finish on a high note.)

All in all a good race, nice to have something relatively short to start getting used to racing in warmer temps.

What would you do differently?:

Tell Steve, "Have a nice race, see you later" and some more heatproofing.

Post race

Warm down:

Stumble around finish, Steve finds me and has water for me (BLESS YOU STEVE!!) and APOLOGIZES for dropping me - I assure him it's not a problem. Get over to the main area, run into Ernie and we start looking for something other than water to drink. No gatorade, but there was a Turkey Hill truck there with *gasp* - SWEET TEA!!!!! Yum. Outback also had steak & eggs, but I can't eat quite that soon - hats off to those that could chow down right away. Slow, stretchy walk back to the car and then met my brother for breakfast.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Need more warm weather runs.

Event comments:

This is an excellent 10K - very, VERY well supported by both the race volunteers and the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department. SVFD has bike medics all over the course at all times, which I really like to see, and wish more races had that.