VA is for Lovers 14k Race Report

Ok, so I'm finally writing my race report for the VA is for the Lovers 14k.

 

We (being M and I) drove down to VA Beach on Friday night and stayed with our friends Jill and Mike. They were also racing :)

 

Race morning I had a bagel and banana then the 4 of us headed to the field house. Parking was a little bit of a mess and we had to park farther away than expected. Not too big of a deal and we just gear checked our coats.

 

The nice thing about this race is that the start line is right outside the field house and the finish line is actually inside the field house. We got there about an hour before the 9am start time and it was so nice to hang out somewhere warm and pretend to stretch.

 

It was a super cold and windy morning (maybe 35 with at least 20mph winds) so we only gave ourselves about 15 minutes of standing outside before the race started. M and I had entered the couple challenge, but you actually don't have to run together. They just add your times together for your score. So I started in coral 2 with my M so he could hug and cuddle me to keep me warm even though I was suppose to be in number 1. Not really a big deal, but it was a little annoying weaving in and out of the runners at the start.

Miles 1 - 3: 7:19 - 7:39 - 7:46

I always always go out fast at the beginning. But I was really just trying to get around some of the slower runners and find my comfy zone. I really wasn't paying any attention to my watch until it beeped at mile 1 and I saw I was running to fast. My goal was to run a 7:45 pace so during miles 2 and 3, I got my pace to where I wanted it.

 

Miles 4 - 6: 7:45 - 7:44 - 7:40

I was feeling pretty good even though the wind was being a bitch. I actually probably shouldn't have bothered looking at my watch because this pace felt comfortable. I guess that is the weird thing about wearing a garmin though, you think you have to run a certain pace even though you don't. Maybe I could have ran a little faster if I just ran by feel instead of looking at my watch every time it beeped. During these miles I was also thinking "I have to keep up this pace, I can do it, I want to post on twitter that I got my legs back. I ran fast (for me)." I know.... the little things that keep us motivated during a race.

 

Miles 7-8.66: 7:51 - 7:56 - 4:57

Whomp Whomp Whomp. I was starting to get tired and we were really running into a head wind. I felt like I wasn't moving. I was pissed with the 7:51 mile and I was even more pissed at the 7:56 mile. It wasn't that I was giving up, it just felt like I wasn't moving. My plan was to run the last two miles a 7:30 pace, but I guess I just couldn't do it? I certainly did not give up though like the last couple of races. I kept pushing myself and brought my pace back down to a 7:30 for the last .66 of a mile.

 

Here are my final results:

Overall: I am pretty happy with this race and I am glad I finally had a good race. My goal was a 7:45 and I did that, I ran a 7:40 pace. Yet I am still nit picking my race apart and wishing I ran faster. I guess I will never be happy? I guess I will always want and expect more. Anyhow, it was a fun race and it was fun to hang out with my friends after wards in the nice warm field house and have a beer. M and I did great as a couple (Team MCKIWI) and placed 24th out of 185 couples! 

Happy Friday All and good luck to all marathoners this weekend!