Baltimore 10 miler

Getting ready to start.

I ran it and I finished the Baltimore 10 miler. Sadly, I have nothing very exciting to report about this race. It was a nice race with adequate water and gatorade stops. I like running the Corrigan sports events because they seem to have a good understanding of how a runner feels and when its best to provide them with aid stations. Towards the end, it seemed as though there were more water stops than in the beginning. This is good because if you think about it, when are you more likely to need water? At the end. I also like the race premiums they give away. This year it was a white 1/4 zip jacket with a Baltimore 10 Miler logo patch on the arm. It is lightweight, but not flimsy. It really is a nice premium. 

This was my first race running through Druid Hills Park. As the name indicates, it was a hilly course. One of the more hilly courses that I have run. Since I had just had my foot operated on earlier this week (no big deal and I am fine) and I had spent the last couple of weeks healing up from previous injuries incurred by the dueling half marathons in early May, I was not in as good of shape as I could have been. I originally anticipated finishing the race in a little under 3 hours. I finished in 2 hours 35 minutes. All and all I am quite pleased because like I said, I was not in peak condition.  I did adopt a strategy for tackling the 10 miler that I have dabbled with before, but I haven't stuck to too religiously. I decided that all flats and downhills would be run and any hills that were somewhat steep would be walked. Why this strategy? As my time indicates, I am not a fast runner and often I exert more energy running up a hill then I do walking it, and I go about the same speed. I decided to conserve energy.

See...I pushed it at the end to pass those two women walking

With that being said, don't heckle the slow runners/walkers. Some jerk was making fun of me as I was walking up a hill around mile 8. Making comments to myself and other race participants. To which I say, I would like to see you do this. I would like to see you accomplish what I have accomplished. Furthermore, when your finished I would like to see you get up and go about your day as though a 10 mile or 13 mile run has little to no effect on your body. But, I just smiled and pretended to kick his ass in my head and then carry on by putting one foot in front of the other. For every jerk off like him there are dozens upon dozens of people who sit on every corner and cheer all runners, even the slow runners on. They are the people I love to see because they really do make me feel happy. 

For now, that's the last race of the summer. I may sign up for a women's distance festival or a smaller 5k, but right now marathon training is priority 1. 



Until next time, happy running!