Columbus 10K 2010

Can you believe this is my first 10K? True statement. I’ve run two halfs and one 5K before and that is it.  I have searched high and low for a 10K because that’s a nice distance.  Long enough to be in the “long run” category but short enough that you aren’t running all morning long.  I finally found one!  And it just so happens it’s put on by my favorite running store and my friend James would be working the race.  Score! I signed up for it right away and then a few of my twitter friends signed up for it as well!  YaY!

I wasn’t going to do any sort of taper or anything leading up to the race but my right groin muscle was giving me some trouble and I did end up tapering a bit.  My last run was on Wednesday and it was 6 miles.  I didn’t run again till race day on Sunday!

All this week we’ve been having serious thunderstorms, tornado-type weather, and rain.  Lots of rain.  It’s been seriously humid and hot as well!  Sunday morning I actually got to sleep in!  Normally I’m up before or right at 6am to get ready for my long run, however this race didn’t start till 9am (That is so late you guys! Seriously, let’s get a 7am run going! ;) ), which meant I had some time on my hands.  It was thundering and lightening out something fierce.  I checked the weather and we had a tornado watch on until 9pm.  Yikes!  Not the best weather for a race!

So far my races this year, my first 5K was rained out, it poured rain during my half, and now my first 10K looked like it was going to be a wet one as well.  Maybe my race season this year is just going to be full of water?

I finally wandered upstairs to get dressed and Scott and I headed down to the start.  I decided that I was running and if I can do a half in torrential downpour, I can do 6 miles in some rain.  We got there just in time!  I had time to hit the potty and only had to stand around for a few minutes before the race started.  The race started and finished at COSI which is Columbus’s Center of Science and Industry.  It was our first time at COSI!

Racers waiting for the 10K to start!

Scott is on picture duty which is both awesome and frustrating at the same time.  Why?  Because Scott loves “candid” shots.  You know, random action shots of people doing whatever.  Which would be fine if he would just start taking pictures.  However his approach is to make you stand there all posed and pretty and then keep you there for 10 minutes as he tries for the “candids”.  It’s not like he takes a picture, says he has it and then keeps photographing “the moment”.   He just stands there looking at you while you are trying to hold onto a plastic smile for 10 minutes and you have no idea what’s going on.  A lot of the “candids” of me end up looking like this.

This is at the point where I’m yelling, “Scott are you taking some effin’ pictures or what?!”  Because you see, for 10 minutes prior I was standing there looking like this.

Isn’t this much cuter?  We then had a deep “discussion” about how he needs to inform me when we are taking serious pictures and when we are taking “fun” pictures.  We’ll see how well this works.

The kids finished up their race and I got in line for my first 10K!  Also?  I was freaking freezing cold.  This part of COSI is right next to the water.  I have no idea what body of water it is but it’s a river and it’s dirty.  This is all I know.

FREEZING COLD!  There was a breeze and it was arctic.

Maybe if I hop in place I will get warm?  Note to self, this did not work.

The horn blew and we were off!  I waved goodbye to Scottarazzi and I was off!  I was under the impression that I wouldn’t see Scott again but I was totally wrong!  I saw him again right away because we ran around the COSI building and came back up the front.  This was the first hill incline of the race and while it doesn’t seem like much, when you’re running it, it’s hard!

I am flashing some sort of race sign to indicate that I am hawtness.  Also my right hand needs to get under control!  Apparently I fling it out when I run.  Not attractive!  Making fists is not a comfortable position for me.  I try to hold loose fists but I guess I don’t do this either.  I need to work on this!

The camera that is used for all the OHC food shots is also our “event” camera.  It is not a good event camera.  It doesn’t switch between modes fast enough and it doesn’t do continuous very well.  For example here is me running with the camera on continuous:

Oh here I come! Flinging hands and all!

Shouldn’t most of me be in this picture?

Whoa! Now I’m like totally in your face!

Now you can just see my buff forearm and Wonder Woman wristband.  Or maybe Scott was trying to get that chick in the blue shorts?  She does have a great butt!

That’s alright, I got some killer legs! Take that sexah butt girl!  Also? Pay no mind to the flinging right hand.  Jeeze.

That was the last time I saw Scott until after I finished.

This race was hard, no lie.  I was thankful it was only six miles long!  Once I got out away from the water, it became hot and humid again.  It was a later morning start than I’m used to so that was a bit rougher on me.  It was also super windy at times!  Up some of the inclines we were battling some serious wind and I had to keep a hold of my hat so it wouldn’t fly off. :o

It was hot and the race just felt long.  Many times I thought we were farther than we actually were!  I stopped for a water break once, I think it was the second station which was right before the mile 3 marker.  I was so happy to hit half way!

The second half of the race was all on paved park and bike trails through downtown.  Lovely for a race and it provided some nice terrain.  It wasn’t flat but the hills weren’t killer either.  For some reason I was able to handle those hills much better than the steady inclines of downtown!

When they told us that we just had to go down the hill to the bottom and we were done, I was so happy!  YES!  I would be done, praise be!

I started trucking it as much as I could down the hill without risk of tripping and rolling across the finish line.

My thought process was something like:

“Go go go go go go!”  “The end is right there!”  “Go go go go!”

“Ugh get the sweat off my face!”

See and you thought my Wonder Woman wristbands were a fashion statement!  Pffffttt!

DONE!  Thank goodness!!!

I waited around till Scott found me and then he started taking pictures again.

Ahem.  I’m up here, babies. Up here.

Oh hey! There I am!  No I didn’t drink any cherry seltzer, why do you ask?

That bottle was actually half full of chocolate soymilk and thank goodness too!  I needed some fluids in a big way! I chugged that in two seconds flat.

No rain at all during the race which was awesome!

My time was 1:03 which I was really disappointed in.  The run was hard, it was windy, and there were some hills which slowed me down. Mostly the wind!  I wanted to finish in under an hour and that didn’t happen.  I got over being cranky pretty quickly though.  It was a good race and it was challenging! That is what is important, time is not.

After this picture we jetted back home.  I couldn’t stick around because it was just too cold! Now that I was super sweaty, the breeze was even worse!  I came home to shower and stuff my face with some breakfast.

First 10K done! Whooo!

12 thoughts on “Columbus 10K 2010

  1. I don’t make fists when I run either. It’s bad for your shoulders apparently. I forget where I read that but ever since I’ve been trying to keep my hands flat. I look like a nerd but whatev.

    Your hair is long! (At least it looks long in the ponytail. I like it!)

    I think you are fantastic! I need to find a 10k to run. I’d love to try it out!

  2. Haha… race pics! I am usually able to delude myself into thinking that I’m a smooth, in-control runner — until I see pictures of me during races. Then reality hits, and I see that I am actually really spastic when I run :(

  3. LOL @ Scottarazzi. That is not my definition of a “candid” shot, if you have to pose for 10 minutes.

    I think your time is really good for a 10K! Especially since you are just starting to hit under 10:00 consistently and it was so humid! Give yourself a break! :)

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