The Godiva Track Club puts on some fun run races through the fall and winter, including this hilly trail 8k named for the day on which it occurs. Given that other run event options today were only 5k, cost more $$’s and started in the AM, I picked this event for my monthly rest up a little and visit to the pain cave. The 1pm start is one of it’s finer qualities.
The plan was to start tempo and build into race effort, which started off well, but quickly devolved into a pace that would be my max for the day. So, yeah, I started tempo and built into race effort, but that didn’t take more than a mile to get there. Oh well.
This run is on non-technical trails, save for the first & last portion of single track. It’s quite hilly, so I got to practice pacing up short steep hills and bombing back down them. The best advice of the day came from the fellow in the olive green shirt next to whom I ran much of the race. He said to run downhill like you’re 8 years old.
Now, I don’t remember how I ran down hills when I was 8, but I imagine there was an element of wild abandon. Of course, I lived in Virginia Beach at that age, so there weren’t a lot of hills around to practice on.
There were a lot of out and back portions and an endless stream of right turns on the course. I found myself wondering how far I had gone and whether we were running the same sections more than once. Maybe we did. I don’t know, but there were nice people at all of the turns telling us where to go.
Anyway, I crossed the line in 34:15 or so, which is good because that’s sub-7 pace on a tough course. I’ll take it. There was a faster lady up ahead, so I was 2nd female, for what that’s worth. It was a nice day and a solid workout and Remy enjoyed the playground at the school where the race took place.
Speaking of Remy, Gary brought the camera and got some good pics of the progeny. No race pics, sorry! Wait. There was that one lady (who finished 3rd) that snapped shots of people while cheering for them on the out-and-back sections. She may have gotten a picture of me at one point. Very impressive multi-tasking in my opinion.
That’s a great pace at this time of year. I’m jealous you have options for various races at this time of year. We’ve got nothing here until March.
Race pic:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jefferyandluladog/New_Years_Day_8K_Run#5422206429315090002
Remy uses speed laces?