First posted on Runners World - June 19th, 2006
First, some background. At my peak I am a back-of-the-pack-er. I am not fast, will never be fast, don't care too much about fast. My goal is to be as fast as I can be while still only running 25-30 mpw. Due to patellar tendonitis that flared up during Chicago and THEN breaking an ankle last fall, I couldn't run from October 9th to mid-March. Even though I spent January thru March (after I got off crutches) cross-training like crazy, I managed to put on 25 lbs and get even slower.
I've lost 5 of the 25, and I've worked back up to 15 mpw. I am training for the Peachtree Road Race on July 4th, and I decided it would be fun to do a 10K for a training run. Last year I PR'd at the possum trot with a time just over an hour. This year I was just hoping to finish.
I suggested the race to some friends, and to my surprise they all came! My sister's babydaddy, and a girlfriend of mine have both been training, and then another friend who does not usually run joined us. The four of us started together near the back. We all four stayed together for the first three miles - running about an 11 minute mile pace. The three of them were having fun and obviously not working too hard. At mile three we split up (READ: I slowed down, and they sped up.).
The route was very flat for Atlanta, and took a route along the Chattahoochee, so it was pretty darned cool for ATL summer. There was a nice breeze as well.
Mile six had two short but killer hills, but as I was the only one running (shuffling?) up them, I passed quite a few people. At the end, I passed one girl and told her "You're not going to let me PASS you ARE you??" I had taken it way easier than I intended, so I had quite a bit left at the end. I kicked it up a knotch for the last .2 miles, and at one point I hear Wade and my friends shouting "She's going to pass you!" Apparently the girl I had passed was doing her best to catch me. I sprinted to the finish and didn't let her pass me, and the two of us shared a laugh at the end of the chute. Wade, preggo Meggo, and all my friends were cheering me LOUDLY at the finish! It felt awesome.
Time: 1:13, almost a PW (personal worst). In fact, except for a race I ran with a slower friend, that is my PW. I'm not complaining - I ran it as a training race. I'm fatter and slower than I was last year, but on the bright side, that means I'll see improvement quickly!
