Result: 9th female, 3rd Ohio female, 38:34 (6:13 average)
Results: 2015 Ohio Elite Results
The week prior to this race I raced a badly paced 5k (19:06) at the Fight Cancer 5k that got me very worried that I would not be able to set a 10k pr at the Youngstown Peace Race. I only do this one 10k every year and I so badly wanted to better my time from 2014. I'm going out of 2015 without marathon and half marathon prs, so I at least wanted to go out with with 5k and 10k prs. Despite having a rough race at that 5k, I was very glad I did it. It was for a good cause and I was thankful to be part of the event.
The drive out to Youngstown is one of my favorites. Such an easy, straight shot and it only takes me about an hour and 15 minutes. The race doesn't start until 11 a.m., so no early wake up. The parking is free for the event and by the time I'm getting back on the freeway, all the roads are clear and it's a fast drive home to my waiting kidlets.
This is a point to point course, so we take a bus from the finish to the start at an elementary school. I took the elite bus this year. It was slightly more intimidating to be on a bus with all those fasties, than it was being on the regular bus last year, that is for sure. At this point I guess I'm getting used to being surrounded by skinny, keyed up runners, so it's all good. When we got to the elementary school I used the potty and then went to the back of the school to find my secluded hallway. I sat in this hallway last year, soaking up the sun. It was overcast today, but I just chilled and looked up results for the PGH Pittsburgh 10 miler.
I did a two mile warm up 45 minutes before the start. One last pee back at the school and then I stripped down to my Second Sole singlet and "fast" spandex shorts and went down to the start to do drills, strides and runouts. This final step is so, so important for me in shorter races. The 10k effort level is no joke and I have to be warmed up and ready to run. Not quite as important as before a mile or 5k. Right before the race I felt relaxed and happy to be there. I love it when I get this feeling before a race. It means I'm welcoming the pain that is to come and for me this is important.
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| The start! Lots of local and non-local fasties. Photo credit: Mike Capps |
I purposely lined up behind the elite women that I knew would be in the top 10. One of the local elite runners that I've seen pop up often in the running2win top 20 was there and I lined up next to her. She was just running the race as a workout though. It only took me a few seconds to get across the starting line and with that downhill I found myself right in the mix with those top 10 ladies. If the race had a perpetual downhill, I'm pretty sure I could hang with them. But it leveled off and they continued their 5:30 pace. I did not. I felt super smooth through that first mile. Much more in control than 2014. I reached the mile marker and my watch beeped. 6:20?! Okay, I didn't need to go out quite that slow! Major WTF moment here. I felt pretty good, but was in a panic. I was already 15 seconds behind on a downhill mile! Right at this time Meg from the Columbus Running Company caught me and my mind was preoccupied with racing her from here to the finish. No more stressing about pace, although I mentally noted the running clocks at each mile marker. When she passed me I made a very conscious decision to go with her. I've found that I have to make this decision to race. I don't naturally have competitive feelings welling up in me when someone passes me, but once I commit to it, I'm there.
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| My Peace Race homies! We paced together for 6 miles. Photo Credit: Emmett King Photography |
2 mile clock: 11:58 and my watch splitted 6:02 sometime before it. Well, that doesn't add up. Don't worry about it...race the lady. Enjoy the downhill. Stay on your toes. Don't tense up. First hills began in the third mile and I found myself catching up to Meg on every uphill and passing her on the down. She would then proceed to blow by me on the flat sections. Let's just say it was a good thing for me that this is a hella hilly race.
3 mile clock: 18:10. I don't even remember where my watched beeped but it was nowhere near a mile marker and it told me 6:31. Nope, not possible. I'll spare you the details on what it told me the rest of the race as I'm sure it's all wrong. I'd like to think the race organizers have it together enough to put the clocks at the proper mile markers. Next year, no watch! I think the fourth mile is toughest and the slowest. Lots of up and down through the beautiful Mill Creek park. I was encouraged that I was staying with Meg and the fast masters runner that we were pacing with. I felt exactly as I should in a 10k. In pain, steadily approaching oxygen debt, but still a mile or two left in me.
4 mile clock: 24:15. I cannot do math in my head while I'm racing, but this split seemed pretty good to me. The fifth mile is not so bad. We come down out of the park and there are more flat stretches.
5 mile clock: 30:30. When I came into view of this clock I finally realized that we were on pace to run in the 38s. I got really excited and passed Meg, trying to do a far out kick. My legs didn't respond to this very well and I slowed up within a few strides. Just stay steady, I commanded myself. Meg went around me again and the guy we were running with commented that "This like the battle of the lady runners!" I just nodded my head. I couldn't talk at this point! Meg started to move ahead of me on the flat and I thought, "She wants it more than I do" and let her go. But there was the bridge looming up ahead. This bridge is evil. It is placed at the 5.75 mile point and believe me your legs do not appreciate hauling your lactic acid-filled body up it. I started tiptoeing up it as fast as I could and went to the arms, even though there's like half a mile left. By the time I reached the top, I had nearly caught Meg again. We took a sharp right and there was the finishing stretch with the 6 mile marker in sight. I looked down at my watch and saw that we had just hit 37:00. I was going to make it in! I started hauling ass and passed Meg for the final time right before the 6 mile. I put 7 seconds on her in that final 0.2. All I could think about was that clock and the fact that there was a 38 on it. The announcer stated that some women in the top 10 were coming in. I launched myself across the finish mat to make sure I got my time and then sat down on the pavement just past the finish line. I was so out of breath that I couldn't catch it for a few minutes. I like feeling like this after a race because it means I had a strong finish!
Meg came in and I thanked her and the masters guy for all the pacing help. I checked around and went to talk to the other female finishers who were getting their stuff out of the bag check truck. After I'd chatted for a few minutes I got my stuff and headed out for a two mile cooldown. I decided to stick around until the awards happened because with where I had placed overall, there was a possibility I had placed in the Ohio money. Sure enough, I got third Ohian. If I want to place consistently in the top Ohio women at this race, I'm going to have to drop my 10k time. Last year the last money placing was in the mid 36s, though it's unlikely that they will draw that competitive a field outside of an anniversary year. The goal for next year will be to dip as far below this time as possible. The one thing I noticed was how important it is to know the course. With all the hills and the insanely fast start, it helps to know what you're facing.
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| The definition of hauling ass. Get across the mat! Photo credit: Mike Capps Photography |
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