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Date/Location: |
December 8, 2018 – Davis, CA |
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Distances: |
10km Run |
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Time: |
57:19 |
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Place: |
5th |
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Teammates: |
5K: Ariel Soares, Robin Soares |
Anna & I are running the 10k.. right after we see Robin & Ariel off on the 5k. This is really fun coming to Davis and doing a family run together. I look forward to opportunities to either bump into familiar faces or meet new people. In all our hope is to display a joy of running rather than the stress or self-centeredness that can plague competitive events.
“A Change of Pace” is a great race organization and they make these Davis runs really enjoyable. It’s a family atmosphere with plenty of fun and goodies afterwards and I always love the routes. They’re often different, exploring the many greeneries and exercise paths around Davis. They’re always sure to have many twists, turns and tunnels to keep you guessing where you are at.
We reunite with Justin Morejohn. I talk to a guy with those orange Nike shoes that everyone at CIM was wearing. He gives me the scoop about the secret re-bound insole promising 4% increased energy/speed. So that’s what the hype is all about.
We pray together and then watch Robin & Ariel take off in the 5k! We’re actually able to see Robin finish before Anna & I start our 10k. My goal is sub-7 pace and Anna is trying for 7:10 pace, the same as her CIM relay leg. I still have the rt. heel pain but it shouldn’t bother me much. Go!
Starting out always feels so good. Plenty of energy but have to remind myself not to go too fast. Anna is just behind me and I hope she’ll stick to her pace rather than go for it and try to stay with me. She probably could, but she ran hard last week, has another relay event next week, and is feeling a little run down. I notice only 8 women ahead of Anna. Although I don’t know if they’re in the 10k or the 1/2 marathon, I feel like Anna’s going to place well at the pace she’s planning.
Mile 1: 6:47. A little fast. The temp is cool. Perfect. We’re on a new route for me. We circle The Cannery – a mixed-use develpment of residences, commerical space and a lot of parks and open space.
Mile 2: 6:56. Along The Cannery, Anna is farther back now, hard to see. But as we turn to climb the W. Covell Blvd bridge I can see her, “Good job, Anna, good pace.” Up and then down the exit ramp.
Mile 4: 6:59. I’m amazed at this dirt trail along a canal which I’ve never seen before even though we’ve raced in Davis probably 30 times before. I look back but no longer see Anna. My pace is good. I figure we must start heading back since there’s only 2 miles left and we’re far from the start.
Mile 5: 6:58. Running towards a hwy I’m expecting a hard left and a direct shot to the finish. As I get closer I see people directed to the right instead! Immediately I realize that I’m in the wrong race. This is the 1/2 marathon. I made a wrong turn. I turn around and head back and others, also realizing their mistake, turn and join me. I realize now that Anna went the right way and that’s why I didn’t see her anymore. Ha, her slower pace is going to be the victorious one today!
About 4 of us group up and try to keep our pace despite knowing it’s going to be longer than we expected. We see course markings heading in the direction of the finish so we follow them.
Mile 6: 7:23. Lost some time due to the turn-around and confusion, but trying to keep the pace up. My goal is to meet my sub-7 goal no matter how long the race turns out to be. We run through pretty greenways, under tunnels, through parks. Then the course heads out again (it’s the 1/2 marathon course still) but we continue straight, completely off-course now. A woman in our group knows these paths and says we’re on the right track. Sure enough, we see the 10k racers up ahead and merge in with them at the official 5mi mark.
Mile 7: 7:11. Ok, I’m exactly 2miles behind but the good news is the overall pace is just a little over 7min/mile. [I’m also currently in 8th place in my age group]. I try to pick it up even though I’m feeling some fatigue now. Over a bridge, through another park, and it’s starting to look familiar. It’s a straight shot to the finish now!
Mile 8: 6:52. Great! I’m under 7min/mi pace. But I’ve been wondering about Anna and if she’s concerned about me not being at the finish. She’s been done for a while now and I hope she’s not worried. Then I hear her up ahead calmly cheering me, “All right, Dad, you’re getting extra credit today, keep it up..” Ha, she’s more aware of what’s going on than I am. I keep pushing hard and, without realizing it, I pass 3 guys in my age group!
Mile 8.2: 6:01. I finish with a big push and a smile. I’m really happy with my run, especially since I went farther than I thought I could after a hard effort last week. Thank you, Lord, for giving me a joy despite a mistake that could easily have bummed someone out. It’s really about the effort and not the success.
