Fall City 10k

Nice!

Goal half marathon?  never mind.  Waking with a round of crud the day before the race means no racing.  Turns out K got the crud too!  Arrgh!  He'd just been planning on the 10k at the Fall City events. It wasn't a given that we'd go to the race.  i was pretty sure I'd at least be able to run the 10k. I wanted a good workout but figured I'd fade in the race as the crud caught up to me.  And we both felt ok as we got up.  It was raining a bit here in seattle but by the time we got to the race location about 30 miles away, the weather had lightened up.

This was a first year event for Fall City 10k and half Marathon and a very sucessful event too.  Sure there were some issues.  Parking became an issue for the 10k-ers arriving for their race start 30 minutes after the half marathoners.  We got stuck in traffic going into the school and finally realized there was no parking so back out to the road to park.  No big deal but it took a fair bit of time.  And there didn't seem to be any port-o-
potties at the start/finish area.  They had the auditorium of the school opened which was very nice for staying warm but the bathrooms weren't sufficient for a bunch of runners.

I did a barely sufficient warm up because we were rather late then getting our stuff after parking.  I felt horrible at first.  Very achy and stiff but after a half mile, legs loosened up and I was feeling more hopeful.  I figured this race which is pretty much flat and an out and back on a lovely quiet farm lined road would be good just to go for a solid pace and see what happens.

we met up with some friends who were also running the 10k and lined up at the very casual start.  There seemed to be lots of blahblahblah at the start of the race but it was hard to hear.  Just run!

And we were off!  Out to the main highway (which they closed for just a few minutes to start the race) and then onto a really nice road which goes by various farms.  It's not straight but takes a lot of random seeming turns which was great for keeping things interesting.  I planned for 7:45 for the first mile which was slightly downhill and held that at 7:43.  next mile was 7:45 and then 7:42 for the turnaround mile which was before the 3.  I was feeling pretty good and had stayed with a couple other male runners who gradually dropped back.  A couple women were ahead of me but staying steady.

K finishing.  He did have a smile.

At about 3.5, I started to feel the crud.  My lungs started burning and I could feel my throat getting very sore.  I had skipped water stops as I normally do for a good weather 10k and now think that might have been a mistake.  Oh well.  I figured I'd fade in pace the last couple miles because there is a slight uphill section in mile 5 and lungs just weren't having it.  7:51, 8:22, 8:15.  The strange thing was that i only got passed by one gal around mile 5 on the uphill (so jealous!) and a couple guys (including a couple half marathoners who started 30 minutes before me).  I maintained placement with everyone around me pretty much.

49:23 and good enough for 3rd in AG which had a very nice glass as a prize.  I will take it!

I hope they do this one again next year as it was a really nice first year event with a nice course and feel.  56