Lucky Laces 10K (Race Recap)

Saturday, March 17
Denver, CO
Weather - Sunny and roasting hot

I had 6 miles on schedule. When I got free entry to Lucky Laces 10K, I figured, why not. Even though, I absolutely LOATHE the distance for racing. I finally was going to wear my white Lululemon pace setter skirt. I am in love. I want to live in this skirt. It is cute and comfortable. LOVE IT.

I met my friend Ruth at the gym and we carpooled down to Denver together. She is an expert in navigating the city, and we were there early enough that we found a close spot and walked to the starting area. We picked up bibs, timing chips, shirts, and did a bag drop, and still had about a half hour to kill. There were bagpipes playing and a band playing Irish songs:

I skipped my Luna bar and powered up on a small cheese danish and a peanut butter cup. Breakfast of champions. Cycled through the bathroom line twice, then we headed to the start area:

Smallish races so obviously no corrals. We started somewhat near the front and still slogged behind a bunch of walkers, strollers, dogs, etc. Sigh. Which leads me to how I end up pacing stupidly in a race. I get so tired of being "trapped" that I run too fast trying to get around people. I rocked the first mile, held a pretty awesome (for me) pace for about a mile and a half and then CRASHED. Not literally, but my legs were exhausted. WTF. I have not done speedwork in MONTHS. I know this. But I can't even race a 10K? I mean, it's been a while since I ran one, but it's not that far. Why can't I do this?? Dejectedly, I take about four walk breaks between mile 1.5 and maybe mile 2.25. I am thinking to myself... in one week I am going to try to run 100 miles, and I can't even get through a stupid 6 mile race???

Sucktastic. Then I remembered... I don't really CARE that I am not that fast. I jog and take a walk break around mile 3 to drink some Gatorade (or some SUPER STRONG sports drink - so nasty). Did I mention it was a BILLION degrees? So unseasonably warm for March here in the mile high city. I was dying.

At the start of loop 2 (each loop exactly a 5K), I decided to go back to the marathon strategy that has proved to work for me - running but not racing. I ran the second half of the race with no walk breaks at all. Much to my dismay, the aid station that had been around mile 1.6 on the first loop was TOTALLY GONE on the second loop. I was so thirsty. This was not good. I held my pace, and the "hills" that had killed me the first loop didn't seem that bad, and suddenly I was passing people. I upped my speed, and finished strong. The best part of the race was chicking a guy in the chute. Bahahaha!

Bib #2891
Official Time - 1:03:06
Overall Place - 215/364
Gender Place - 109/226
Division Place - 30/76
Garmin Time - 1:03:07
Garmin Distance - 6.20 miles
Pace - 10:11
Mile 1 - 9:08 (cruisin')
Mile 2 - 11:16 (snoozin')
Mile 3 - 10:52 (WTFing)
Mile 4 - 10:16 (Oh yeah, I can JOG)
Mile 5 - 10:04 (This isn't so bad)
Mile 6 - 9:40 (Wheee!)
Mile 6.2 - 8:38 (I can SPRINT!)

Overall, a nice, fun, smallish race. There were some vendors at the start/finish line with freebies and race discounts. Plus, they had some decent pre-race food. And REAL bathrooms at the start. Probably wouldn't pay $40 to do it, but you can't beat free. Happy St. Patrick's Day!