Did my first timed 10k today, and very very happy with the results! Ran it with a friend, and we planned on starting out slow so I didn't have much aspirations except under 55 minutes. My secret goal (for sometime, not for today!) was to run a 10k in less than 50 minutes, but I figured today wasn't the day for it. I figured we'd start out with 9 minute miles or so, and then maybe I"d pick up the pace at the end, but after the first 3 miles of 8:15, 8:15, & 8:03, I started making calculations in my head and figured if I picked it up I might have a chance at breaking 50 minutes! So mile 4 felt easy at 7:45, and then miles 5 & 6 preceded to be the hardest things ever. I was steadily passing people the whole time though, which is always a little boosting. Mile 5 said 7:52 and Mile 6 said 7:24 though I have a feeling that mile 5 was a little overmarked and mile 6 a little undermarked since I didn't feel like the pace really differed that much. Then of course I started sprinting and realized that it was an out and back to the finish (not just right there!) and almost died trying to get to the finish line, but I did it in 49:16, 7:55 pace! I was really proud of myself, I never thought this was possible. I just want to keep getting faster! I was also proud to get 51st out of 746 people! It was a good race overall - lots of goodies - a shirt, a medal, breakfast afterwards, lots of free power bars, etc. The water stations were poorly placed though, at mile 1 and mile 3, would have been a lot more useful around mile 3 and mile 5 or so. Also, it was two loops (not identical though) of a lake, so on end of the second loop a) they took us up on all these gravel/grass bits which were NOT easy and not appreciated at the end! and b) as we came down we were meeting the walkers of the 5k (who only did one lap) and it was difficult to get through. It was really pretty though and lots of watchers/cheerers/dogs! :)
Splits: 1 - 8:15 2 - 8:15 3- 8:03 4- 7:45 5- 7:52? 6- 7:24?
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