Key Largo Bridge Run 2010

I finally ran my first 10k, the race I’ve been training for for 10 weeks.  The whole week I was freaking out over the fact that it’s a BRIDGE and I’d die running up it since I’ve never run hills before.  I hardly slept last night and today as we arrived in Key Largo, the nerves really hit big time.  I was almost shaking.  It was bad.  I decided I was not going to sweat it and that I’d run if I could and I’d walk if I had.  No pressure, I just wanted to finish the distance since it was my first 10k race.

We had to take a shuttle to the start of the race since the parking was about 4 miles away.  We made it with enough time for me to stand in line for the port-a-potty and then walk to the 10k group.  There were three separate groups since there were three distances, half marathon, 10 and 5k.  The half marathon left 10 minutes before the 10k and the 5k a few minutes after the 10k.  So, I took my place in line and off I went when the gun went off.  My chip time is one second faster than the gun time so I guess I jumped the gun LOL; more likely, the gun time was delayed one second.

The run was pretty uneventful.  Going up the bridge the first time was not really hard at all.  The views from up there was amazing.  At about mile 2 (I think) the first 10k runner on his way back ran past me.  I was feeling pretty sorry for my crappy time at that point (which really, was good for me) but hey, that dude is fast and he’s been at every race I have participated in bar the Komen race.  About half a mile further down, I ran past a woman wearing an A1A half marathon 2010 shirt.  I asked her if she was running it next year and we chatted for a bit.  Turns out, she was running the half marathon today.  So yes, I caught up to a half marathon runner at mile 2 when they had left 10 minutes before I even started running.  I wasn’t feeling so slow all of a sudden. She told me she was thinking about turning around at the 10k turnaround point because she didn’t think she could make it.  I had to keep going though so I wished her luck and moved on.

As I said, going up the bridge the first time wasn’t hard, it was gradual.  Going back over the bridge in the other direction, however, was hard.  I’m surprised I didn’t walk up.  I was going slow, over a minute per mile slower than on the flats.  The incline is steeper in that direction.  I made it to the top though and everything that goes up must come down.  Sweet, sweet descent. I made up for the slow uphill then.

I finished in 1:04:44 (one hour, four minutes and forty four seconds) which is way faster than I thought I would do it in. I placed 17/20 in my age group and 72/116 over all. I thought I’d do 1:06:xx if I was lucky but I didn’t get my hopes up.  Well, I was pleasantly surprised, especially with the “hill” running.  Now, I like running long distances in training just fine but I am not sure I like distance racing (5k’s are OK).  That’s a bummer considering I’m registered for the A1A half marathon in February.  I hope it changes my mind.

So, today I learned two things.  First, slow (or fast for that matter) is relative.  I’m slow compared to most and fast compared to many.  Don’t be bummed about your speed, be happy you are out there running at all.  Second, if you run uphill, it’s hard, but you eventually get to run downhill and that’s just plain fun and fast.  Now, I need to get a ride to the top of hill and run down! 😉