Twin Cities 10 Mile Recap (long)

[jene]

I told myself that I would actually write a recap for this race, no matter what the outcome was, since I always love reading people's recaps.  

The 10 mile is a really popular race, and it is a lottery. The day before the lottery, I decided that I was going to sign up for it. The lottery comes and goes, and I don't get in.  Cue major disappointment. The next day, I get an email saying that I can be a charity runner for a $100 donation, which seems like a pretty sweet deal to me. So, I was in and decided to use the race as a gauge for how I could pace my half marathon at the end of the month, and since I have never run a 10 mile race before, I had an automatic PR in the bag. 

My alarm went off at 4:15 and I immediately cursed myself for signing up for a race that starts at 7 in October when my bed was so warm and cozy. After much debating, I went with the majority of the responses from the wise ladies of H&F and wore shorts, t shirt, arm warmers, throw away gloves from a previous stride box, and one of H's old long sleeved race shirts to toss along the course. I grabbed everything I would need and drove to St. Paul, where the race ends. I had originally planned on taking the lightrail to the start line, but when I saw how many people were already in St. Paul, I got worried that I wouldn't be able to find a parking spot and parked at the first lot I found where they were shuttling runners to the start line on buses. My nerves started to die down a bit when I got off the bus and I started getting excited. I found my corral, sweats drop, and porta a potties.  I was able to meet up with @mn06 and hang out with her until I went to my corral.  She was also a total lifesaver when I broke the top of my sweats bag and started panicking. 

They did wave starts, and my corral started about 20 minutes after the first runners started.  The first mile I went out faster than I planned, I felt like I was running way faster than usual, and looked down to see a 9:30 pace on my garmin. I pulled back and a bit and tried to find my rhythm.  My first mile was 9:48, which was still faster than I had planned. I decided that I would just run on how I felt and try to ignore my garmin as much as possible. Somewhere in the second mile I ditched my long sleeve shirt and readjusted my fuel belt. I felt myself settle into my pace and tried to soak everything in. The miles slowly started ticking off. We wound through the U of M campus and joined up with the marathon course around mile 3 (mile 20 for the marathon). It was really awesome for me because when I ran the marathon a couple of years ago, I started to feel like death around mile 21-22, so it was really great to be feeling good and running through the same areas I had before.

Somewhere in mile 5, pandora decided to crap out on me, and my phone restarted itself, I opted to take a walk break and see what was going on with that. I got pandora started up again and started running. Miles 6 went by pretty quickly, and more spectators were starting to come out. Someone had a sign with Christopher Walken on it with "No Walken Here" which was amazing timing because my left quad was starting to ache so it took my mind off of it for a little while.  Mile 7 went by quickly, and then in mile 8 my quad started getting angry again. I walked a little bit and slowed my pace. 9 miles had been my longest run during training, so I wasn't sure how going beyond that would go. Once I hit the last mile marker, I decided to pass as many runners as I possibly could on the way. We went past the cathedral and I could see the American flag hanging over the course, and the finish just beyond that. I ran through the chute, stopped my garmin and saw 1:47! I grabbed my medal, space blanket, snacks (including the most delicious chicken broth ever), and headed over to get my shirt. 

My splits were:
9:48
10:26
10:41
10:41
11:24
11:16
11:12
10:26
11:23
9:37

I'd like to get a little more consistent with my pacing before my half at the end of the month. Overall, I am really pleased with how everything went. I see now why everyone raves about this race, and why it is so popular. 

I used to think people that would say that they got faster after kids were some sort of magical unicorn creatures, but I am apparently part of the club too. My PR for half is 2:24, so if all goes well at the end of the month, I hope that I can get a new PR.

I think this is the longest post I've written!

[chw57]

Nice finish!! I think you definitely have a half PR coming your way soon

[emilyj]

Awesome recap! Congrats on a great race!

[sassystace]

Congrats! Sounds like a fun race. I think you have a half PR coming too!

[sadlebred]

Congratulations!!!

[Wines Not Whines]

Great job! And congrats on your 10-mile PR.

[cinco]

Awesome job! I've never seen the Christopher Walken one. That is good, lol.

[jene]

Oct 5, 2015 11:44:36 GMT -5 cinco said:

Awesome job! I've never seen the Christopher Walken one. That is good, lol.

There weren't many hills, but I totally did jazz hands at the top of each one. Only they were like the unenthusiastic jazz hands in the gif that clseale posted last week.

[thom]

Lovely recap and awesome race! I've only run the 10 once, but I also think it's a great race. 10 miles is just a really nice distance too. Are you running the 1/2 at monster?

[bostonmichelle]

Awesome recap! Congratulations on a new PR and I think it sounds like you have another on your way.

[jene]

Oct 5, 2015 12:00:38 GMT -5 thom said:

Lovely recap and awesome race! I've only run the 10 once, but I also think it's a great race. 10 miles is just a really nice distance too. Are you running the 1/2 at monster?

I am! You and @mn06 ran that last year, right?

[G22]

Love the recap. I always love reading recaps. Congrats again on a solid race!

[runblondie26]

Nice race! You should go into your half marathon next month full of confidence.

[jamalynn]

Awesome job! I love your strong finish!

[libbygrl109]

Congrats on your strong finish and PR!

[Brit]

Congrats on your PR!

[clseale]

Awesome job!! I loved the re-cap. The Christopher Walken signs were huge the year we did Chicago. They were GIGANTIC, like maybe 3 feet tall cutouts of his head on sticks that read "No time for Walken". LOL They cracked me up. Your time bodes very well for a nice half PR. All of you awesome running moms and your magical unicorns! So inspiring. Congratulations!!

[breezy8407]

Congrats! I was thinking of you guys

[chitownbelle]

Such a great recap! Are you going to run in costume at the monster dash?? ;-)
The chicken broth! Gah, that's all i wanted post race because I'd read they'd have it there, but I had to puke so bad that I didn't have the guts, quite literally, to stop and get some

[shauni27]

congratulations on the 10 miler! Nice job! I would bet you have the half PR in the bag

[jene]

Oct 5, 2015 18:23:22 GMT -5 chitownbelle said:

Such a great recap! Are you going to run in costume at the monster dash?? ;-)
The chicken broth! Gah, that's all i wanted post race because I'd read they'd have it there, but I had to puke so bad that I didn't have the guts, quite literally, to stop and get some

Did one of the volunteers help you or did you just go off to the side at the end? I'm sorry that you didn't get any!

ETA: no costume plans for monster dash. I am not creative when it comes to costumes that won't chafe me

[cole]

Congrats on a great race and PR

[taratru]

Hooray for PRs! Great job!

[hurricanedrunk]

Congrats on the PR!! Enjoyed the recap, sounds like you had a fun race!

[wanderlustmom]

Congrats! You did so well!

[fuckyourcouch]

Great job! Can't wait to hear about your pr

[chitownbelle]

Oct 5, 2015 18:56:31 GMT -5 jene said:

Oct 5, 2015 18:23:22 GMT -5 chitownbelle said:

Such a great recap! Are you going to run in costume at the monster dash?? ;-)
The chicken broth! Gah, that's all i wanted post race because I'd read they'd have it there, but I had to puke so bad that I didn't have the guts, quite literally, to stop and get some

Did one of the volunteers help you or did you just go off to the side at the end? I'm sorry that you didn't get any!

ETA: no costume plans for monster dash. I am not creative when it comes to costumes that won't chafe me

I managed to make my way through a finishers photo, then found the first potty line next to the massage tent...and I couldn't hold it in, so ran behind the potties and threw up in the grass, bahaha! It was just water and bile, but pretty forceful, so I'm glad I was able to hold it in for as long as I did! Then I got a massage, my shirt, and went for my beer!
Sorry for the TMI, I'm a nurse, so come from a world where bodily functions don't bother me to talk about . All I could think after crossing the line was "how are there no fucking portapotties around?!"

[kams]

Hooray, great job!! The Walken sign cracks me up! Anxious for your half!