Capitol Hill Classic 10k Race Report

I have always wanted to run the Capitol Hill Classic, but this is the first year I was actually free the weekend of the race and could run it. The course itself is just an out and back with a little running around RFK.

When I first registered I thought it might be a stupid idea to do a race after riding the Casa River Century the day before. But as it turns out, it was a good idea!

I have never really raced raced a 10k and didn't really have any goals going into this race besides run and have fun. The race starts at Stanton Park which is just a short walk from our house over by Lincoln Park. Walking to a race = the best thing ever! We left our house at 8 and met up with Rachel around 8:15 for a 8:30 start time.

The race was delayed 15 minutes which wasn't too big of a deal and we squeezed our way near the front as no one was seeded correctly.  So we knew there was going to be rage rolling right at the start line.

Mile 1 : 6:50

As soon as I crossed the start line my goal was to find some free space and get around the slow people who should have not been at the front of the line. I didn't want all the zig zagging around people to slow me down and didn't realize how fast I actually ran the fist mile in. My watch beeped: 6:50. Um. I just did a 6:50 mile but hey it didn't feel all that bad. So for whatever reason my new goal became to finish the 10k with a 6:xx overall pace. I don't know I always just make up goals in the middle of my races, but every time I do I am just let down.

Mile 2 & 3: 6:56 - 6:53

As I was trotting along down East Capitol Street I spotted a guy that was running about the same pace as me and decided I wanted to keep up with him. As my watched beeped after each mile I looked down and thought wow I am actually going to do this. I am going sub 7. I only have 3 more miles.... how hard can it be to run 3 more miles at this pace......

Mile 4: 7:05

By this time in the course we were running what seemed like zig zag circles in the RFK parking lot. Even though it was boring, it was flat. My pace slowed down a little and my pacer was slipping away from me. I wasn't too worried about the 7:05 and thought I could pick it back up the last two miles.

Mile 5: 7:36

WTF Hill and WTF legs. My legs felt like death as I struggled to maintain a faster pace. My brain really wanted to run faster, but my legs did not. Ugh. There goes my made up goal.

Mile 6: 7:16

I was really struggling the last mile and as you can see I ran this race way to fast the first three miles. I tried my best to bring my pace back down but just couldn't do it.

Mile .3: 2:02

My watched ended being ahead just a little bit but I tried to kick it into high gear for the last .3 (6:46 pace). I was happy to be finished and cross the finish line.

Total Time: 44:38  which landed me 18th out of 1288 women and 8th in my AG.

Thoughts ~ I couldn't be happier. I ran this race on tired legs from the day before and still had a great day. I wasn't expecting much coming into the race and ran way faster than I thought I would. I don't even know what my other 10k times are? Maybe 52 minutes. So I got a big PR. True I didn't go sub 7 but I don't even know where that goal came from. I certainly wasn't training to do that so I can't be upset. Overall it was a great day and brunch afterwards was so much fun.

Happy Tues All :)