Last Saturday, I had a 10k race in Napa. I haven't really had a chance to write about it yet, but I wanted to share because it was really fun. It was a run supporting the Carner
os volunteer fire department. For the last 8 weeks, I've been running with a 10k training group, and our training was leading to this race. I didn't feel like I was that ready for the race because most of the people in my group were beginning runners and didn't give me much of a push or anyone to compete with, so I started the race not planning on worrying about my time. However, once the race began and I was able to weave through the huge crowd of people at the start, the competetiveness in me kicked in.
os volunteer fire department. For the last 8 weeks, I've been running with a 10k training group, and our training was leading to this race. I didn't feel like I was that ready for the race because most of the people in my group were beginning runners and didn't give me much of a push or anyone to compete with, so I started the race not planning on worrying about my time. However, once the race began and I was able to weave through the huge crowd of people at the start, the competetiveness in me kicked in.
"I can run faster than these guys' pace," I told myself. So I increased my speed and moved past the group I was in. Then my cross country coach's words filled my head. "You should never find yourself running by yourself. If you do, then catch up to the next group ahead of you." ... so I did. I continued this throughout the race and at the turnaround point, I felt I had gained my second wind. The course was beautiful, tracing a private road through the vineyards and there were many little hills. When I reached these hills, they didn't seem to bother me. Actually they helped and encouraged me because when people around me slowed down to struggle over them, I was able to keep my steady pace and cruise past them. Then as we approached the last 1/2 mile of the race I remembered the long steep driveway that we ran down at the beginning of the race. I knew I was going to have to run back up it, and I was dreading it. However, as I approached the hill, I was feeling a lot better than anticipated. "Ok, let's see how long this c
an last," I thought to myself. I continued going up at my steady pace, easily passed others along the way. Then I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. The man started passing me on my left and I let him, knowing that trying to race up this incline was not an option. Then something happened. Once he got ahead of me, he slowed down a little, apparently thinking he had completed his task of passing me. Little di
d he know that my legs were built for hills and I could keep up this pace for quite a ways. I steadied on and gained back on him... he did not like this. He sped up, trying to fend me off. I kept pushing hard without overexerting myself. Together, we were passing others up this neverending incline. He finally reached his limit and I didn't see him anymore. I, on the other hand felt exhilerated. I was almost there and I rememberer my friends would be there at the finish to see me come across, so I gave it my last bit of juice and sprinted even harder up the rest of the hill, catching one last runner 15 feet from the finish. I did it! Man, I love that feeling!
an last," I thought to myself. I continued going up at my steady pace, easily passed others along the way. Then I heard footsteps approaching from behind me. The man started passing me on my left and I let him, knowing that trying to race up this incline was not an option. Then something happened. Once he got ahead of me, he slowed down a little, apparently thinking he had completed his task of passing me. Little di
d he know that my legs were built for hills and I could keep up this pace for quite a ways. I steadied on and gained back on him... he did not like this. He sped up, trying to fend me off. I kept pushing hard without overexerting myself. Together, we were passing others up this neverending incline. He finally reached his limit and I didn't see him anymore. I, on the other hand felt exhilerated. I was almost there and I rememberer my friends would be there at the finish to see me come across, so I gave it my last bit of juice and sprinted even harder up the rest of the hill, catching one last runner 15 feet from the finish. I did it! Man, I love that feeling!
