Tour des Fleurs "Not Quite 10K" - Race Recap

If you just look at my PR's, you'll see something quite unexpected: my pace for the half marathon distance is faster than for the 10K.  It's not that I can't run faster if I only have to go half the distance; it's just that I rarely stop at 6.2.

I was really looking forward to this year's Tour des Fleurs as a chance to change that.  Last year, my time was 1:04:10, and even though I'd gotten under an hour and set a PR on a training run in March (59:20/9:34), I knew that I was capable of running much faster now, as evidenced by the fact that I held a 9-minute pace for my last 13.1.

Everything was shaping up perfectly.  For the first time in so long I can't remember, the temperature this morning was a cool 62 degrees.  I had my new racing flats, the Saucony Type A5s, which I've quickly grown to love.

My brother had driven down from OKC last night, drove me to the race, and dropped me off while he parked.  I arrived early so I had plenty of time to relax and mentally prepare.

Based on previous data, I was shooting for 8:45 for the first mile and hoping I could average 8:30 for the race, but I did not program my Garmin for a specific pace or heart rate.  I had learned my lesson about that and wanted to have the flexibility to listen to my body and adjust on the fly without my watch beeping and driving me bonkers.  Basically, my race plan was: Run smart.  Run fast.  Run happy. 

I started my warmup around the Arboretum, enjoying the scenery.

I looked out on White Rock Lake, where my last 2 races have also been, and got ready to run what I think has become my favorite stretch, making my way to the start line.

I found a place relatively near the front of the pack and did a good job of pacing myself out of the gate.

Mile 1: 8:41.  Right on target.  Awesome.

Mile 2: 8:20.  Not bad at all.  I was feeling good, with no calf pain that had concerned me a week or two ago.  All that resting (and ice, compression, and massage) worked!

Mile 3: 8:25.  Okay, gave a few seconds back on the hill, yet still under my targeted average pace....But wait, why does that sign say it's Mile 4?  Maybe that was signage for the 20K???

Mile 4: 8:05.  Awesome.  More than halfway, and I feel great.  HR is in the yellow zone (170s), which is comfortably hard.  I know I have a little bit more to give, but I'm saving it for the last mile...surely there's 2 to go, right?  This course was accurately marked last year.  Is it possible we could all be short a WHOLE MILE?  Surely not, but maybe...Still better to save something assuming I need to go the full distance.  Please don't let this course be short.  I really wanted a PR and some good data today.  (Did I really just pray that the course would not be short?)

Mile 5: 8:06.  Holding steady and ready to unleash the beast...but wait, is that really the finish line over there???  Aw, man....Might as well pick it up, I guess...

Mile 5.16:

Finished running 7:29 pace.  Based on the way I felt, I'm guessing I could've put up a sub-8 for the last mile and finished somewhere around 51 minutes, but we'll never know.

What we do know is that even with me purposely holding back for the last mile I never got to run, my average pace for this "mini" 10K was 8:18--about 2 minutes per mile faster than last year!  That is a win.

As for who won the actual race, we still don't know.  Apparently the motorcycle cop took a wrong turn, cutting the course a mile short (after arguing the point with the lead runner!).  Some runners familiar with the course stayed true to the route and went the full 6.2, but the majority of us were lemmings who ran just over 5 miles.  We waited around as it was taking forever for the race directors to sort things out, as there was prize money on the line for top finishers.

I'm grateful that my family was there to enjoy what is still the best post-race party around.  Not being much of a drinker, the beer garden was lost on me, but I managed to find all the sweets a girl could eat--and let the red velvet cupcake count as my birthday cake as my family sang to me.  :)

We also enjoyed the live music as we waited for results to be posted....only to find out that things were so jacked up, they won't announce results 'til MONDAY!

I hate, hate, hate that I did not get an apples to apples comparison on my progress from my first anniversary race, or a true 10K PR, or a 10K time off which to predict my marathon time (though the Jack Daniels calculator puts me at 3:59:01 based on the data I have!).  Yet I love, love, love that I ran smart, fast, and happy and crossed the finish line running faster and feeling better than in any race to date. 

The next time I pin on a bib, it will be for the Marine Corps Marathon.