That is how I finished today's 10 miler. This 10 miler is in Amherst. Today's race was a grand prix race so many, many fast athletes from all over the North East were in town. I did this race last year and it was a lot of fun. I love this race in particular because it brings together the people from our area that we may have not seen since fall. The course is incredible challenging, some rollers, and some-never-ending-is-it-over-yet climbs, along with one section of fairly flat on a dirt road. It is a very scenic course for sure.
Today it was high 30's and windy. Not as windy as yesterday but we definitely were fighting the wind.
Last year I ran the race my first mile was a 6:30 and then I hit the crazy climb at mile 3 that totally humbled me. This year I was at a 6:40 and felt good but the climb this year felt very hard. The wind was coming down the climb and then people started passing me and I thought will this be my first, "DNF" but then I thought "Annie, we're not quitters."...not sure who "we're" referred to but that was my first thought. Finally got to mile 4 which is on the dirt road and thought ok, 6 more miles to go I can do this. I think if I had been able to run a better first 3 miles then maybe my time would have been a bit better. I was a head case though, and struggled to find my rhythm. Once I found it, I did much better. When I passed the mile 8 sign, I knew there were two more climbs to go. I lowered my arms and tried move them so that my legs would move too. The last mile, at least .6 of it is uphill and of course the wind was in our face but I just said to myself, "ok, Annie, just get to the top of this hill and then you can just push it has hard as you can to to the end." So that is what I did. I made it over the finishline in 1:09:55...some would call it 1:10 but I am to go with 1:09:55, I never round with times. I checked my pace and it looks like a 6:59 pace which is good, overall 47 seconds or so slower than last year.
I know I could do better. But I have to be honest with myself too. I am only running on the road 4 days a week opposed to 6 trying to keep some pesky injuries at bay. And this past week has been a hard week. We found out some tough news and now I'm scrambling to find someone to watch our daughter while I work. Even that anxiety definitely affected me today, I didn't feel mentally free.
So that is that, 10 miles done, right around the 7 minute mile mark, we'll take it. But you better believe, I want to push myself harder and find ways to get better.
On a positive note: It was a good, tough race and although I would have liked to have done better I am proud of myself for sticking with it and pushing myself even more those last 2 miles. That is something I am still figuring out how to do, run faster at the end and I did it, so that's awesome!
Next stop, 1 hour in the pool tomorrow!
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