My Charlie Post Classic Goals weren’t too crazy:
- Finish well
- Stop and stretch if I am in pain
- Run at a 10min. mile pace
I kept my goals simple because I knew nothing about the course, it was my first ever 15K, and I had spent this whole week going to bed early and missing workouts since I felt like crap. Germ warfare from my kiddos I am sure. Plus I had just run my first race in over a year, the Charleston Half Marathon, the weekend before.
Let me start of by saying I would happily do the Post 15K again. One thing I love about little local races – I left my house a hour before race start and T and I still made it there with 30 minutes to spare. Heck, next year I’d probably even sleep in an extra 15 minutes. We found parking in no time a block from the race start and when we went to leave it was so simple, we didn’t have to wait at all to get off the island – the logistics were great.
The course did loop a bit with you covering some of the same roads on the way out and back, but I really didn’t mind it. First, it was a flat course which always helps me run a bit faster. Also, January in SC is a beautiful time to run (a cold time to wait for races to start though) with run temps rising from the low 40s to 50s while we ran. On top of that Sullivan’s Island is a cool place. I got to see old forts, gorgeous houses, and a fewer killer views of the Atlantic on my run.
After she stuck with me all last week and helped me to make it through my first race since injury I knew I was one my own on this one. T was planning on running a pace I have never hit, not even healthy. She ended up finishing the whole thing at a sub 8:30 pace. So proud of her.
So this race was all about me, about proving to myself that I am getting healthy again, becoming faster, able to push through when I need to. Lots of races I really rely on T and her pacing. She keeps me on target, helps me run good miles, and talks to me the whole time. This time it was just me. On top of that – I ran the whole thing without music. At first that was because I forgot to lay my iPod out, but instead of being upset I turned it into something. I made this race about proving to myself that I can do it. That I can reach my own goals without T or music or anything else pushing me. So for 9.3 miles it was just me, my thoughts, and the road… and I DOMINATED!
At mile 1 I looked down at my watch and realized I was doing it – right below a 10 minute split. I was so proud. Ever since I have come back from injury hitting 10s has been really hard. However, today it felt good, don’t get my wrong I was pushing, but I didn’t feel like I was dying like I did my first couple long runs back when I tried to keep that same pace. The race flowed along super smoothly and mile after mile I looked down and always saw those 10 minute mile splits. Now I don’t have a Garmin, or some other GPS, so I don’t know my pace when I am running. I just wear my Polar Watch and every mile look down to see how long that last one took. To be able to stay right between 9:50-10:00 felt great. I was pacing myself – T wasn’t pacing me, the music wasn’t getting me through, some fancy watch wasn’t telling me how fast I was going. My body was falling back into it’s old rhythm. Good heavens it was a brilliant run!
When I hit mile 7 felling good I was able to pick it up, boy was that tough, and bring my last two miles in closer to 9:00s. Overall my time was 91:10, not bad for 9.3 miles. On top of that I now have an official 15K PR (you know since it’s the only one I have ever done). Race 2 of 13 in 2013 was a success!
Who needs a medal when they give you breakfast burritos instead? Win!
Heavens knows I’d rather have food than bling anyway.
Sausage, bacon, or veggie? Which one would you have gone for?
Have you ever run a 15K?
P.S.- I also gotta admit that I was shocked we got nice long-sleeved tech shirts for such a cheap ($30) local race. I am usually not excited about race shirts,but am stoked about this one because it is blue-grey instead of white.
Nasty, sweaty, runners and white shirts – Who thinks that is a good idea? Really!?!
Congratulations on a great race! Good job pacing yourself and running without music, I always run without music but I know for some people it can be difficult to motivate yourself without it.
I would have definitely gone for the veggie breakfast burrito, yum! I have run two 15Ks, I DNF’ed one (I was injured) and I finished the other. I like that distance and I plan to do more sometime, this year we’re doing a 30K.
I usually run without music on runs with my buddy, which is about half of them, but when I am on my own I usually use it. It was good to know I could do it.
A 30K sounds great. I have never done one. And the veggie burrito was YUMMY!
Yay for the race and for hitting your pace time! Since I’ve only been running again for a few weeks, I’m still fairly slow, I’d say 11-12min/mile. Part of me is afraid to push and part of me is just glad to be running so I don’t care that I’m not at my normal 9min/mi pace.
Could I have a burrito with all three and hashbrowns with egg? Oh and some salsa too?
And now I think we need to go to breakfast together stat. You had me at hashbrowns and salsa.
Not sure if my comment got whisked away into lala land or not since my internet went on the fritz (sometimes connection drops) when I was submitting my previous comment…
Congrats on the 15k! 2 races down and 13 to go! Glad to hear you met your pace goal! Right now I’m at 11-12min/mile, rather than my ‘normal’ 9min per mile I was at pre-injury. Part of me wants to go faster but part of me is just glad to be running again
Burrito: I would want all 3 ingredients plus hashbrowns and eggs. Oh yea and salsa!
It went through. I am no sure why it looks like they don’t….hmmmm…..
Nice job on your brilliant race! A great confidence builder without a pacer or music. I prefer racing without music actually. I like being able to focus on my running and being able to relate with other runners.
I love 15k though there aren’t very many of them out there. It’s a great distance to race.
It was such a fun distance and I really did like running without the music.
I started to text you yesterday and tell you how great the shirts were, but I got home and didn’t think about it (didn’t wanna text on the road!). I do wish it had been a women’s cut but my shirt is still great for sleeping in or wearing on short runs (a little baggy for a race). And you’re right, this was a great race with beautiful weather, beautiful course, and a lot of good volunteers. Except those who said “you’re almost there!” at mile 7. Um, no. Do that at mile 8.7! Hehe. But they were still great.
I saw you coming toward the finish and you looked really strong. You had a great time but I can tell you, you didn’t look like you were completely drained or bonking at the end, you didn’t look like someone coming off an injury. You looked strong.
Burritos were good and I had the veggie one. No veggies in it though, but at least there was no meat in it. I was 5 minutes off of the 3rd place in my AG, super fast females there. I think it was the prize money but maybe those burritos had something to do with it…
I was really happy about the shirts too – loved the color. Though I actually haven’t tried it on yet, maybe I should do that.
Thank you so much for the complement I felt really good. Also, took it a bit easy on the leg though.
I was listening to the time and it is crazy that the 15K people were really only 2x long than the 5K, which means way faster. The 5K times were not that crazy. I think it is because the 15K was some championship.
Yeah- the USATF 15K championship. The field was super fast! I passed one of the MPTC kids early on and she went on to run sub-24 and win her AG. I was shocked at how intense the 15K was. I thought I might possibly get an age group award but even the 3rd place in my AG was still 5 minutes faster than me. Insane for a local, small race… I can’t believe people ran the 15K in an hour. Wow.
It was crazy for a little local race.
I find that’s true though, when there’s a longer distance the times are more competitive than the shorter distance. Money brings out all the closet elites, I guess…
Yay girl! I did two 15ks and once I got redemption from the first I said I’d stick with halves. I think the gasparilla races just got too crowded maybe
I think the half is still my favorite distance, but I did really like the 15K.
Sounds like a great race! Congrats.
Thanks Steph, I enjoyed it.
great job!
Thank you Jenelle.
I just recently started running without my music, and I couldn’t believe how much I loved it! I thought I was so dependent on it, but really I am not. Don’t get me wrong, after like 8 miles out there by yourself it seems like it would have been a good idea to have some music, but overall it is nice to hear the world pass you by! Congrats on reaching your goal!
I was shocked at how almost peaceful it was along the water with no music.
Congrats on hitting your sub-10 goal! That’s fantastic. Is the race shirt the one you’re wearing? I really like that color! And for anything less than a half marathon I’d absolutely rather have food than a medal! Congrats on a great race and #2 of 13!
It’s not the one I was wearing, I’m weirdly superstitious about wearing a shirt until after the race. However, it is a similar color just a bit more grey-blue.
HA! I rather have food for anything less than a half too. Don’t need that many medals. Would rather have the food.
Oh! Sounds like such a fantastic race! So many pretty things to see.
It’s exciting to hear how well you are doing.
I don’t think I’ve ever run a 15K. I wonder if I’d like that distance. I don’t much care for the 10K, but I love the half marathon. I guess I’ll need to run one someday, just to see.
I thought I was the only person out there who’d rather have good food than a medal. Bonus on the nice shirt, too. Wow. I’m really jealous of this race!!
The half is my personal favorite distance too, so I really enjoyed this.
And you can join me on the give us food not bling train:)
Wuhoo! #2 down with a smile
Proud of you!
TBH – All the races i didn’t wear my watch, I did so much better! I wear it for runs, but I think I let it get to my head and I start analyzing… I have never run a 15k race. Someday I will, there aren’t too many of them around here. I would have dominated that sausage burrito post race!! Food = triumph.
There really aren’t many 15Ks here either, think that might be the only one.
I was sad because I got a veggie one and it was little so I went back for a sausage, but they were all out of those and down to just veggie and bacon.
Oh yay! I am so happy to read this. It must have felt incredible to hit your stride again. 15km is such a lovely distance too. And breakfast burrito? Awesome!
It was the absolute best feeling Kate.