Race Day

What a day! This morning, I awoke a little after 6:00, which is early for a Saturday. But that's because I had a race today. One of the local small towns features a "Health Days", and part of this celebration is to feature three races. They have what is called a Mayor's Mile which, as you might guess, is a mile-long run. They also have a 5K and a 10K. So, as you may guess, I decided to run the 10K.

For those who may not know, a 10K is approximately 6.1 miles. That's half of a half marathon. Given the amount of running that I have done lately, ti's really not all that great of a distance. However, this run is called Conquer the Canyon. And it does indeed live up to its name.

The run is a loop, which means you venture out a little over three miles, and then return basically the same way. The only thing is, for this race, the first three miles up the canyon gain a little over 1,000 feet in elevation. It's a lot of work to run uphill for three miles. I resolved that I would not walk any of it, and I was able to be true to that commitment.

On the return, it's downhill. That is, except for one small part. The return route takes an alternate road that runs along the top of the canyon, running basically the same route as the road leading up. But yes, that means that we had to run up a very steep road for about 75 yards with about 2 miles to go. I was really huffing and puffing at the top of that little stretch, but was able to keep running the whole race.

I finished with a time of 49:06, good enough for 6th in my age group (30-39). I didn't see the full listings yet, but I think I finished in the top 40 overall. Once I see the official race results, I'll let you know the specifics.

What a run! Now I'm getting ready for another 10K, coming up early in July!