02 - TheHamm - Dexter-Ann Arbor Run (3:00:00 / 2:50:21)
Summary: I am not sure I will run it as a half but would not hesitate to do the 10K again. I think if you are faster than I and looking for rolling scenic hills, this would be a great race. I have mixed feelings about this race I am still working through, as evidenced below. I wanted to see what I could do, I set an early goal of sub 3 hours. I did think I was faster than that but was a bit nervous to say that out loud or type it.
I met the goal I had when I signed up, and it is a PR, so I am satisfied, but not necessarily happy.
Bib pick: I had limited time as I had dropped my husband and kids elsewhere and needed to get back to them promptly. I grabbed my bib and stopped at the 3 local running stores to see if they had my shoe model and size as I have been having a hard time finding them. The Brooks rep was telling someone about their logistical problems and suggesting they stop selling them at expo discount as they would continue to be hard to get throughout the summer. My goal of finding a different colored shoe than the current model went out the window with that info. I walked out with the same exact shoes I have and a bib in 22 minutes. All happy with this!
Race day: I picked up a friend and we parked and headed to the line for the busses. We were happy it was cooler than the day before at only 62, but it was still 90% humidity. Too bad the race wasn’t 24 hours later, it is 10 °C cooer and 50% humidity! The seemed to have a problem counting people to put on each bus (every time 4 people had to get off), but it went relatively smooth. We got to the neighboring town’s high school and waited indoors and got to use a real bathroom! Pacers went to 13 minutes and I was hoping to be a bit faster so I noted who it was and did my own thing. I tried to learn from the last race where I knew I went out far too fast and decided I would prefer to error on the too slow side, so I decided to run with the friend who was planning on 13 and is pretty even paced. I stuck with friend for three miles because it was just nice to chat and I figured I had time. She complained that I had said the course was flat and this was rolling hills. I agreed it was rolling hills, but when we discussed the course she had just run Pittsburgh and I still think it is comparatively flat. We ended up running closer to 13:20 and I left her at mile 4 as we hit country roads and gave myself 2 miles to pass the 13 minute pacer. I was a bit faster than I hoped and found him in less than a mile. As I was sweating profusely, I did stop at every water stop and everyone was kind and helpful. While the course map said they had Gu, I never saw any except the packets squished in the road. I did panic a little as at mile 4.5 I saw flashing lights reflecting inside my sunglasses as the police started trailing the 13 minute pacer. I think this was not cool. They stated a 15 minute pace was required and I was ahead of this but I panicked for the next 3 miles thinking they were shutting down the course and going to make us stop. Apparently, they did open the course early, and friend who maintained just a hair under 14 minute mile had vehicles on the road with her and those behind. This is frustrating enough to consider not running this race again. Around mile 7 I had slowed to the 13 min pacer and could hear a woman just chatting loudly to everyone, so my goal became to keep the noise behind me and push on. I am grateful for the resident who rigged up their hose to their mailbox and left it running. I doused my salty face in it without any hesitation. Chatty lady became quiet as the flag for mile 12 came into view and I panicked they had passed me without me noticing. Nope, she was just struggling. Up the last hill and I could see the clock as 2:51:22 and I decided there was zero chance I was letting it get to 2:52 so I am sure I looked ridiculous sprinting at that point, but I did. I am not thrilled with the early opening of the course to traffic, nor having a cop car crawl be hind us, pass and park within view and repeat for nearly 9 miles, it was stressful.
Post Race: I am irritated with the post-race stuff. Several pages back someone mentioned tear tabs for finish line libations, and this was the first time I had seen that. Not that it mattered as only 3 people in line behind me got beer, and there were 80 people on the course behind me. Those 3 people were not on their first drink and the tabs were clearly an on-your-honor thing. There was supposed to be pizza, but that was also gone to the disappointment of others who were finishing within the stated race time. There were plenty of my favorite bagel left, so I pocketed one and headed out my kids’ soccer games.
Current reflections: I did not go out too fast as I had in the past, so this is improvement. I think I would be faster in lower humidity and in a few days, I will be happier with the time I earned even though it was not what I had hoped. If I use DopeyBadger's T+D ajustment, I was closer to what I thought I would do so that is some comfort. I also think I ended up very hungry before the race was over and may have needed more food before or during the race; I am not sure what is necessary or appropriate, but I did not hit it here.