Super Bowl Fun Run

Today was my first run since Dec. 05, Vegas marathon. The second I arrived to the parkway for the 10K I realized how much I missed the racing atmosphere. Glad to be back...

Pre-race
A 10:30 a.m. start means I get to sleep in. I wake at 9, make coffee. I decide to eat the honey nutrition bar provided me in race packet cause I forgot to pick up bananas, my usual race breakfast.

Ew, ew, ew.

The first bites are edible, then I start to just ram it down so I can get it over with. This has a hamster-like effect for me. It's so dry and sawdust-like it's sitting in my mouth in a large lump, not going anywhere.

I brace myself, swallow, gag. Manage to keep it down by chugging nearby coffee.

I arrive and see right away the course is icy and slippery. I have to park like 4 miles away. I'm shivering so bad and I'm so cold. I look around in terror. Surely, someone else is as disturbed by these hypothermia-creating conditions as I. Everyone appears cool and collected. Announcer tells us to take it easy on course, that running in tough conditions only makes us stronger. I am not inspired.

The Race
It's the toughest conditions I've ever raced in. It's freezing but worse is how icy the course is. The race only has around 500 participants but the course is narrow.

But I find my pace rather quickly. I figure I'm doing somewhere between 830 and 9.

There's not much else to report. The course is hilly but managable. By the time we hit mile 5 I can't believe the race is almost over.

Then just like that, there's the finish line.

Post-Race
I eat a piece of pizza, and find myself next to a tall guy in red. We were almost side-by-side the first two miles, then he took off but he never left my eyesight. I congratulate his race and thank him for pacing me. He is shy. He says thanks, good run to you too.

Time (no chip): 52:40ish. Not bad.

I'm sorry this report is so boring. But it's like it was over before it began! Weird.

I can't wait for the next one.