Because Being Ordinary Is Boring: Runnin' of the Green 7K (Race Recap)

Monday, March 12, 2018

Runnin' of the Green 7K (Race Recap)

Sunday, March 11
Denver, CO
Weather - Sunny, chilly at the start

This race was again to be the kickoff for the 2018 season. I had received a comp entry, and A is young enough to do a youth registration, so we were both able to run for $30.

Thanks to having run this race the year before, we already knew we needed to be out the door by 8:15. We got a spot only about 3 blocks from the start line again, which is nice. The Roost tent is always set up in the shade, so we were smart enough to bring warm clothes to wear until the start. This race is a blast because we know SO MANY PEOPLE.

Teammates at the start

Team picture was at 9:15, but then we still had an hour until we were going to be running.

Time was spent wandering around and talking to people. Maureen and I headed to the bathrooms right after 10 (with the race start being at 10:15), and I grabbed a beer (of which I drank less than half before the start). Jumped into the corral with Lisa, Francesca, Yuly & Jeannene. Goal was to not start out too fast (like I had last year) and hopefully not have to walk at all.

A had plans to start in the A wave with all the fasties, hoping to keep up with Lisa (who was going for a PR). I didn't see her before the start, but this was her third time running, so she knew what she was doing.

Fasties in the corral at the start

I lost everyone I was standing around with before the first turn. I was just trying to run an even pace and hope to hang on. I was also racing with music, something I rarely do these days.

I tried to not look at my watch, but when Rich joined me, I glanced to see what pace we were running. It was a tad hard, but we were also running uphill. Hoped I could hang on. We ran together for maybe 5 minutes, although I lost him at the first aid station (right around when the leaders were already heading down 20th for the finish line...)

I grabbed my water and brace myself for what I knew was another half mile or so of uphill. Only this year, it wasn't so bad! No walking!! I was definitely tired though, as I didn't feel like I had that much of a kick on the downhills.

Heading up a hill around mile 2 (I think)

My favorite part of the course are the sections when I can see the faster people ahead of me. A was with Laurie, with Lisa behind them (!) and she looked happy. We looped around near REI, and then I knew we still had to run up 15th (hill - and where Jeff was taking pictures).

Happy, because I made it to the top of the hill and feel good!

Thankfully we hit the aid station again, and I grabbed water, walking a tad longer than I hoped, but my feet were numb! I really really didn't want to walk and just tried the "butt kicker" run to hopefully get the blood moving to my feet a little better.

Turned down 20th and knew there were two more rollers to the finish. I kicked it into high gear when I turned onto Wazee for the finish. I managed to run the whole race without walking anywhere but the aid station, and snagged a 1:40 PR! Woot! Still not fast by any stretch of the imagination, but it went a lot better than I expected, which is always nice.

Official time - 45:08
Overall place - 762/1637
Gender place - 311/934
Division place - 119/281 (hey, top half, I'll take it)
Garmin time - 45:08
Garmin Distance - 4.42 miles
Garmin Pace - 10:13
Elevation Gain - 262'
Mile 1 - 10:20
Mile 2 - 10:48
Mile 3 - 10:04
Mile 4 - 10:08
Mile 4.42 - 9:05 (according to my watch, my "kick" was a 6:30 pace?)

As for A? An incredible PR.
Official time - 36:59
Overall place - 267/1637
Gender place - 63/934
Division place - 4/50
Garmin time - 36:59
Garmin pace - 8:27 (?!)
Mile 1 - 8:19
Mile 2 - 8:55
Mile 3 - 8:00
Mile 4 - 8:35
Mile 4.4 - 8:17