9/11 Remembrance Run 10k (Race Recap)

Saturday, September 8
Arvada, CO
Weather - Sunny and warm

I ran the 20 mile option of 9/11 Remembrance Run last year. This year, they had added a half marathon option, which I registered for months ago. As the date got closer, I didn't want to have another painful half, so I dropped to the 10k the morning of the race.

Race Day

We had plans to arrive around 7:15, to give us time to park and get to the starting area with enough time for me to change my registration. For WHATEVER reason, in order to change my registration, I had to fill out a WHOLE NEW FORM, swap bibs and shoe tags. ALL IN DIFFERENT LINES. It was super annoying. Had I known it would take so long, I really would have gotten their earlier. Why not just adjust the distance in the computer? Why the theatrics? There were only 4 port-o-potties, but the line didn't take that long. We saw Ruth while we were in line and got her to take a picture of our super patriotic outfits.

Running Skirts, Pro Compression socks (Also, I'm wearing my niece's Barbie sunglasses since I left mine at home)

"Luckily," the race wasn't very organized, and the race started about 15 minutes late. I hadn't bothered to look at the profile, I had assumed the course would be the same as last year. I was wrong. The first 5K of the course was on the parade route. Oh. Did I forget to mention that the race was the same day as the harvest festival? And that with the race starting late, we were running on the parade course within oh, 15 minutes of the start of a 140+ float parade? It's true, that happened.

I lost L and Ruth in the first 5 minutes. I was feeling ok, there was no knee pain, but I was exhausted very early. Apparently, that's what happens when one tries to run after NOT running for practically a month. Anyway, the course was totally bizarre. Somewhere around the first mile, we veered off the main road onto this weird "trail." I walked up that. I was tired. On the turn around, there was a pretty big downhill, but thankfully, it didn't make my knee angry. At the turnaround point, there was a bit of confusion, the volunteer asked "have you been by me before?" Huh? On the other side of the median? Is that the same? Either way, wasted 15-20 seconds trying to figure out where we were supposed to go. On the way back towards the start/finish area, I chatted with a lady for a few minutes about the race.

The 5k point was where we split off and got back on the trail where I remembered running last year. It was hot. At this point, I was REALLY happy that I had dropped down to a shorter distance. I was walking a decent amount, but the great news was that my knee was not hurting. The turnaround on the trail was just after 4 miles. I probably could have pushed a bit more on the way back, but I didn't.

I felt pretty good at the finish, and even though this is my 10k PW, it was about 9 minutes off what I had as my "A" goal for the race, due to how my running has been going lately. I have only run a couple 10ks in the last few years. Not my favorite distance.

Overall, SUPER pleased with my finish. So nice to run so long and NOT be miserable at the end. Maybe the end is in sight? (I hope!)

Bib - 4171
Official Time - 1:06:15
Official Pace - 10:40
Overall Place - 87/139
Gender Place - 53/96
Division Place - 18/35
Garmin Time - 1:06:14
Garmin Distance - 6.19 miles
Garmin Pace - 10:42
Mile 1 - 10:27
Mile 2 - 11:34 (I walked a LOT)
Mile 3 - 10:24
Mile 4 - 10:52
Mile 5 - 10:29
Mile 6 - 10:28
Mile 6.19 - 10:15

Good

• Nice running on the bike path
• Bottled water at the finish (nice change from last year)
• Chip Timed
• Good volunteers on the course

Not so Good

• Late start - it's too hot for that!
• Too many distances starting at the same time in a small space
• Disorganization with pick up and changing distances
• Not enough bathrooms
• Would have liked sports drink of some kind

This is a local race for me, and I liked the addition of the half distance. I will run it again, hopefully they get some of these flaws figured out for next year. I'd REALLY like to see a women's size shirt. I got the smallest shirt I could and it's like a nightgown on me. Annoying :(