Saturday, May 20, 2006

Raider 10k

I certainly did not feel like running this race today. I've been heartbroken since Chris broke up with me on Monday. But, in prime Bria fashion, I wasn't going to let that hold me down. Besides, I had told Mary I'd help her set up the fat and sugar display. My sister came to run the 5k.

The course, which was said to be relatively flat, was not relatively flat in my mind. Luckily, a good part of the route was through my neighborhood and I was familiar with the uphills.

It was just my luck that my Garmin's battery died 0.71 miles into the run. I had, however, brought my iPod so at least I could listen to some music. I decided that I wasn't going to try and run this race fast, I was just going to treat it like a training run.

At 5k, I grabbed a water and walked while drinking it. As I started to run again, I developped a horrible side stitch. I thought about quitting (we were very close to my house), but that's just not my style. I told myself that I would walk as needed and take it slow the rest of the way back. "Just a training run" I kept telling myself.

The side stitch stuck with me for the next 3k, and I walked and stretched as needed. By 8k, I was feeling pretty decent and my legs were not tired hardly at all. I picked it up a bit, and picked it up further at 9k. I sprinted to the finish while Darude's "Sandstorm" was blaring from my iPod. I made it across the line in under 59 minutes (official results haven't been posted but the clock read 58-something when I crossed). I had been telling myself "it's okay if you finish with 1:14, your hot and in pain". But I actually finished not too far off from my previous times! So despite the hills, the sitch, the garmin dying, dressing too warmly and having to walk to take off my shirt, I still did half decent.


It always feels so good when the race is over.

2 comments:

mg said...

Sorry about the break-up :(

Having "just a training run" come close previous races is pretty good. The conditions don't sound like they were too optimal for racing. I hate side stitches; I was plauged by one today while running, too.

Jessica DeLine said...

Good job and way to stick with it!!

I'm also sorry about the break up :(