So I ran my first "official" 10K on Sunday, December 13, 2008. It was for the Say No to Drugs Race hosted by Narconon. Earlier in the week, I did a training Time Trial for 60 mins and wound up running over 7 miles for a PR of an average 7.87 minute mile. So I was hopeful.
But I cheated on the Zone. Two days before race, I had sugar. Bad. The night before, I had yogurt...more sugar. Bad.
Then I slept 3 hours because I had the good fortune to do a radio show for KROQ at 6am! That's cool. I'll sleep 3 hours for that anytime.
But as soon as the gun went off, I knew I was in trouble. People were passing me left, right and center, and I just couldn't catch my breath. I had never been in a race with a chip tied to my shoe, so when I rounded the first split, they yelled out 13:10...or so I thought. Certainly I wasn't doing a 6:40 min mile, so that must mean I was doing a 13:10 min mile. I felt so defeated! I was huffing and puffing and yet I was clearly sucking!
But I kept running...hoping and running. When I passed the second split, I don't remember what was said--seems like 27: something. Either way, I felt like I sucked, and like a dope I introverted.
But I kept running as hard as I could.
When I crossed the finish line, my boyfriend was there taking pictures. I told him I thought I'd averaged about an 11 minute mile, a personal worst, and could we just go home now?
So we did. Later that eve, I started to come down with a cold. Whatever.
So imagine my surprise when Monday evening I went to check the race stats. Not only did I NOT average an 11 minute mile, I averaged an 8:22 minute mile--which while not a PR, I thought was decent. And lo and behold, I actually placed 2nd in my age category of 40-44!!!! WOW!! This is like one of the coolest things to happen to me--ever!
Okay, so I'm glad I'm not OLDER, as I wouldn't have placed in that category--but hey, I'll take what I can get, right?
MY FIRST MEDAL!!
Pictures to follow...and my medal's coming in the mail! :O)
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4 comments:
You F...KING ROCK! Vanessa and I Are SO VERY PROUD of you...
Trust You Training!
E and V
Shannon: congrats...I'm so excited for you. I remember getting my first medal placing in my division; such an amazing feeling.
So if this is your first "official 10k" this is your PR and now you can work on beating it. I saw your finish time of 51:53..really good! Now start doing some serious interval work preferably on a track. Ask Eric or I for some ideas.
Oh..and you need to be wearing a watch and using it when you train and especially at a race. You poor thing..thinking your first mile was 13:10! I know it's hard at first to tell how fast you are running, that's why you need a watch with a simple chronometer.
KROQ..ha! Grew up with that silly station, remember when they started out in Pasadena? So what kind of show do you do?
You are a natural athlete, keep it up!
Hope. Aka: Mountain Goat
Way to go Shannon! You ROCK!!!! Love ya, Lisa
Awesome work on your first medal!
BTW, Rule by Secrecy is one of my fav books too...
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