Spring Runoff 10M (Pueblo, CO) 2009

Four o'clock is what my body thought when I woke to head toward Colorado Springs. Daylight savings time had begun and I had a race to attend, so I packed layers of clothing that I could shed as the day unfolded and the air temperature rose from below freezing to over fifty degrees.

At that time of day I always seem to question why racing was a good idea... the combination of feeling both nervous and tired is a tough combo to beat. I had to trust that somehow my body would wake up, my anxieties would calm and the day would turn out to be a delightful one.

My first stop would be Colorado Springs, CO, a one hour commute from where I live. The silhouettes of the mountains against the dark blue sky were amazing. I relished, yet again, in the amazement of living in such a beautiful state. My drive to "The Springs" was peaceful and reflective... I could hear myself think and felt comfortable in my own presence.

Once there I would meet Jen and Brent Wheeler-Buenger, fellow athletic enthusiasts, for a day on the trails. I transitioned to Jen and Brent's car seamlessly, packing my bags into their already full trunk. Our destination was Pueblo, CO, the home of the Spring Runoff ten mile run in the sun!

The time flew by as swiftly as the miles and we arrived on the racing grounds of Dutch Clark Stadium. Our race numbers were distributed at the stadium's box office which gave me the urge to be more of a spectator than a participant! I realized quickly that I would be on the field this time and not sitting in the stands.

The air felt bitterly cold when we left the warmth of the car and I debated what I should wear for race start. The hourly weather forecast assured that the temperatures would reach the low fifties, however the current air temperature was blocking my ability to imagine fifty degrees. -- We returned to the car to affix our race numbers to shirts and to make that final decision regarding what to wear for the duration of the race.

While it felt counter-intuitive to leave my pull over jacket in the car, I knew it would be best. After several hours of running and the air temperature rising running in a long sleeve jacket would certainly be too much. So out into the Cold, Cold World we went... Jen still draped in a fleece hat, gloves and a long sleeve shirt... me in my short sleeve top, no gloves and a ball cap.
People were gathering behind the race start line... some were stretching... others lightly jogging... I ran in place a bit... partially to keep warm and partially to orient my legs toward moving.

The gun went off and the race began. We all started together regardless of the distance we were planning to complete. The mass of people slowly began to move. I followed the person in front of me uncertain of which direction we were ultimately heading.

There is a tendency to run really fast at the start of a race. There is so much adrenaline... so much excitement, but I know that I must resist this urge and simply run my pace. Ten miles is a long way and I need to run "Steady State" rather than sprinting the first few miles and "Burning Out".

My goal for this race was to shave thirty seconds off of each mile split. This goal was inspired by an interview I listened to on CompetitorRadio.com. Mark Allen, a six time Ironman Triathlon champion shared his experience during his final attempt to win. At the beginning of his run leg, a twenty-six point two mile run, he learned that the lead runner was thirteen minutes ahead of him. That meant that he would have to shave a minimum of thirty seconds off of his already fast mile split to catch the first place runner. --While I have yet to attempt an Ironman distance triathlon I was deeply inspired by his physical and mental effort to do this, so I made it my goal for the day.

My splits were amazing... I was grateful for the downhill grade that supported my intensions. Many sub-thirteen min miles were reflected back to me by my Garmin Wrist GPS. The sun sat high in the sky and the air temperature was much more tolerable now. It was a great day!

At mile marker 1.5 the 5K (3.1 mile) runners headed toward the finish line. The 10K and 10 mile runners continued on. I had a few "rabbits" to chase. I watched a man and woman play "leap frog", one passing the other for a while then the other catching up and passing. I watched the entertainment from behind. I spent time running next to another woman whom, to my disappointment, turned off at mile marker 5. Apparently she was doing the 10K (6.2 mile) run and not the 10 mile. I was now all alone.

Relatively speaking I was running very well for myself. I felt good and my pace was steady and consistent. My splits were under the 13:30mm pace that I set as my goal for the day yet I found my inner voices being critical about my place. I was the final runner for the ten mile race... no one behind me and no one visibly in front of me.

I was heading toward mile marker 6 and I felt my body get heavy..."No!" I thought to myself, "... you can do this!" So I tried to "settle in"... focusing on my pace and remembering that I am actually running faster than I have for a 10 mile effort in years!

I was greeted by a man on a bike. While we were running on a bike trail I thought it was odd to see a cyclist amongst us runners. He greeted me and asked how I was doing... "Great!" I responded... "My name is Mike," he said, "I will be riding with you to the finish! He was the race course "sweeper" to follow the final runner. He would occasionally stop to radio in to the race director our location. The water stations behind me could now shut down and the race director could be assured that I would arrive safely.

I ran and he talked. We learned that we were both triathletes and were scheduled to participate in several of the same races. It was nice to have the company and great to keep pace with a bike. -- I trotted along... maintaining as close to a thirteen thirty pace for the remaining four miles as my body could muster.

After the final climb up to Dutch Clark Stadium I had a 200 meter run on the race track that fed into the finish line. To my surprise there was a stadium full of people. All clapping and cheering for me! So I ran, "Steady State" toward the finish... my eyes welled with tears... I managed to pick up the pace for the final 100 meters... a group of children who had just finished their 100 meter run surrounded the finishers shoot. The announcer called out, "Carla Thompson from Highlands Ranch"... the kids and the crowd cheered.

I was stopped by the race volunteers who needed to retrieve the tag from the bottom of my race number. My friend Jen came to greet me at the finish! She was so excited about my time! She, being a gifted runner, knew what it took to run faster than my predicted pace. We celebrated!!

The woman from the 10K race came over to congratulate me. I was also greeted by the guy who ran just three minutes faster than myself. -- So many smiling faces and congratulatory salutations. It was amazing!

I felt great gratitude for the race directors effort to support the final finishers. It was a wonderful experience to be so well received!

This marks the completion of the Spring Runoff 10 Mile run 2009 in Pueblo, Colorado!!

Big Fun in the Sun, Swim, Bike, Run!!!

10 Mile Race Results:

Mile 1 - 12:24mm - 142bpm*
Mile 2 - 12:56mm - 144bpm*
Mile 3 - 13:28mm - 146bpm
Mile 4 - 12:50mm - 151bpm*
Mile 5 - 12:49mm - 157bpm*
Mile 6 - 14:16mm - 150bpm
Mile 7 - 13:29mm - 151bpm
Mile 8 - 13:13mm - 153bpm
Mile 9 - 14:08mm - 151bpm
Mile 10 - 13:32mm - 157bpm

* - Sub-13 min mile (mm) pace

Total Time: 2:14:32 - Avg mile pace: 13:27mm