I make bad decisions…
Long race report w/ no pictures- just FYI 🙂Ok- there is one picture- but it has nothing to do with the race.
I did the Dam 2 Dam 10 miler.It sucked so bad, but it’s done and the Runner Series is COMPLETE. I am now guaranteed entry into the St. George marathon 2012. (Runner Series explained by the St. G marathon website:offers marathon runners one more way to get into the race without going through the lottery. The Runner Series enables runners to run 2 of 10 designated races in Washington County from October 2011 – May 2012. Completing the Series requirements entitles runners to a guaranteed entrance into the event.)
After that 10 mile race, I sure hope it’s worth it!
The first bad decision was signing up for this race ;). Okay, not really. It’s not really the fault of the race, I suppose.For me, it was terrible.
The REAL first bad decision was deciding I didn’tneed any sleep the night before the race. The night before driving 4 hours to run 10 miles… then driving home for 4 hours.
Instead I went to see a movie.”The Vow”.It was good- but maybe not 2 hours of sleep good.By the time I got home, it was 12:30am.I also developed a scratchy throat/cough that night. Late night movie + coughing = 2 hours of sleep.Yeah, great idea.So proud of my intelligence.
I finally just got up at 3am and got ready. I left the house at 4am.I made it down there at 8am.It was a LONG, tired drive.
I realized halfway there that I forgot my Garmin. That made me sad because I am terrible at pacing myself.
A friend of mine was down there for the weekend with her family,so I met her off of the freeway and we drove in together.
She has done the Runner Series beforeand told me that she didn’t really like this race… BUT, It was super cheap and she was going to be down there anyway,so it only made sense to do that race. Also, I couldn’t do any of the other ones.
Moving on- I felt terrible once we go there. We picked up our bibs and I really wished I could switchfrom the 10 miler to the 5 mile race.(dang over achiever tendencies. so just kidding.) In place of a t-shirt,they gave out running socks and arm warmers.I liked that part.
I felt tired and my throat was sore and itchy. However, the race must go on…that’s what the people running the race seemed to think. So, at 10am- the race was under way.
Um, this race was almost entirely on a gravel road.I am just NOT used to running on gravel-and I was NOT expecting it at all.(I suppose I should do more race research)I have ran on trails of packed dirt- but never gravel.Maybe a few yards here and there, but that’s it.
It was just terrible- horrible. I know my extreme tiredness and feeling sickdefinitely played a part in that.The gravel didn’t make it any better, though. Not having my watch didn’t help the situation-I’m fairly certain I started a little too fast… and then just got slower and slower.
The race felt way longer than 10 milesand I really thought that it would never end.
I finally finished- coming in at 1:21:31 – 8:09 pace. Definitely not terrible, but- seriously, I finished theSt. George half last month with a 7:50 pace.
This was just not my day, not my race.I did finish 3rd in my age group– $5 gift card!Woo-hoo!Yeah, there were only 28 female runners total.
I then changed my clothes, got a drink and headed home. Another long, tired 4 hour drive.It was the longest day ever.This guy here helped out when I got super tired:
mmmm… milkshake.
I made it home, hung out with the fam for a bit-and then slept for about 12 hours. Seriously- 12 hours.I woke up feeling like I got hit by a truck. I really think my body hates me. I can’t seem to stop getting sick.Time to start poppin’ more Vitamin C, I guess. Tired of sickness ruining my plans.
Anyway, I won’t do that race again. Not with any time goals, at least.It was inexpensive and well ran by those in charge-I just didn’t love it enough to make that trip again…and I don’t love gravel.
I suppose I will never be a trail runner. Sad.