March 11, 2012
Official Results
121 overall finisher
4/26 age group (25-29)
1:28:26 time
7:07 average pace
Garmin Results
Distance: 12.52 mi
Time: 1:28:23
Avg Pace: 7:04 min/mi
Splits: 6:54, 6:58, 7:00, 6:59, 7:18, 7:14, 7:04, 7:10, 7:03, 7:11, 7:08, 6:58, 6:33
Dad’s results
195 overall
23/43 (50-54)
1:37:21 minutes
7:50 average pace
Team Results: 4th place open women
Race Report
I was really nervous for the first race of the season. The night before we celebrated my future mother in law’s 60th birthday and didn’t get home until 12:30. Combine that with a 6:15am wake up call and losing an hour to daylight savings and the conditions were not ideal.
I got a few hours of sleep and woke up bright and early to get ready. By the time my dad picked me up, I was awake, but didn’t realize how cold it was. The forecast predicted temps in the 60s for the high but at 7am it was still in the 20s. We got to the race early and tried to keep warm .
The Miles for Music 20k was a new race, in its first year, and the distance was new for me. Not knowing what to expect, I set my sights on a 7 minute average pace, my half marathon goal pace. (HM PR Pace = 7:09) We warmed up and eventually it was time to start. The course was an out and back park path that we would complete 2 1/2 times. At first I was annoyed with all the turning around but it was kind of nice to be able to see the people in front and behind and cheer them on.
I started out right on pace for the first 4 miles- 6:54, 6:58, 7:00, 6:59 and then slowed down for the middle miles, as I always do- 7:18, 7:14, 7:04, 7:10, 7:03, 7:11, 7:08. By the end, I was able to pick it up again to finish strong- 6:58, 6:33. I am thrilled with the results, especially considering my lack of sleep. I beat my previous 15k and 10 mile PRs, which obviously doesn’t count for those distances but at least I know I can do better!
After the race, I grabbed some water and a pretzel and went back to watch my dad finish. He finished strong, with an average pace of 7:50, right around where he wanted to be.
*What is the strangest race distance you have ever run?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice run, I love to run races of different distances… You don’t need to worry about going for a time or any of that, I’ve run a 27km race and a 32km race, was going to run a 20km race, but they decided to add that extra km to make it a half, so I stayed in bed!!!
You are running well and I bet you have a sub 90 half in you one of these days…
Glad to have you back!
As Coach Dion said, sub-90 HM is in you. But please get some sleep before attempting that:) You always go to races after weddings, birthday celebrations or something similar with just few hours of sleep!!! You lead a very busy social life, haha.
I did 20k once (it was Paris 20k in 2008), it was my first real road race and it was horrible. I had no idea how bad those huge non-choral mass starts are and I got stuck behind thousands of slow people from the very beginning. I guess that I was imagining that everyone would be running 6min pace:) I said never again mass start like that. Either I am up front with the elites or I stay home.
that is a weird distance! but such a strong start to the race year
this is going to be a big one for you!
You are incredible speedy woman! I have never tried a 20k. I don’t know how you can be so fast on so little sleep, way to go!