Race Report: Papa John's Ten Miler

My chip time was 1:40:18, which beats my previous 10-mile time by 11 minutes...

If anyone tells you that they can't run a race (any race from 5k to a marathon) even with training, please direct them to this blog.

A consistent training schedule helped me shave 11 whole daggone minutes off my 10-mile time...and I'm as slow as they come!


Let's start with Friday:

Got all my gear laid out and ready to roll...I'm glad I decided on shorts because the morning warmed up pretty quick. It was a perfect day for a run!

Homer was with me all the way. Hubs went on a scouting party in search of beer at the finish line, but there was none to be had. D'oh!

I rocked my Calipari Nation shirt at the expo. The finish line/expo location is at UofL's football stadium, home to my alma mater's arch nemisis-- The Filthy Cards.

I got a few compliments about my shirt from the UK contingency of runners; one enthusiastic dude even shouted "AT LEAST SOMEONE HERE HAS CLASS!" as he passed us on his way out of the expo. Thanks guy!

Anyway, the expo was exactly what I was expecting-- nothing special. I got some Vitamin Water and a Power Bar...moving on...


TIME TO RUN!


There were 8,500 runners at the ten miler and I have to admit-- I felt kind of lonely at the starting line. Most people had running partners or at least friends to chat with.


Don't get me wrong-- I'm a LONE WOLF. But I would have liked to talk it up with someone while I waited to run.


It took me four minutes to cross the start line and I was off! Well you know, off very slowly.

Miles 0-2 were the hardest. By far. They were flat, straight shots-- nothing to write home about. But mentally I was freaking out. At one point I even considered just turning around and heading back to the truck.


Momentary insanity...I got into my awkward little grove at Mile 3 and didn't look back.


We entered the park right after the 3 miler marker and I thought to myself "Here come the hills!"


Iroquis Park is a Louisville institution and, in retrospect, the hills are pretty brutal. People started to bonk left and right. I just kept cranking away and tried to make up ground on the downhills...


Gosh, I love hills. What is wrong with me?


We passed miles 4 and 5 in the heart of the park and mile 6 on our way out. More than half-way...


The final 4 miles took us back the way we came-- a flat strech of road leading up to the stadium. I zoned out and listened to my No Doubt mega-mix that CC made me and before I knew it I was passing miler marker 9!


There was one final hill and people were REALLY starting to fall off...but it was my fastest mile.


Running into the stadium was awesome-- mostly because the astro-turf felt like heaven under my feet.


As I crossed the finish line I knew that I had obliterated my previous ten mile time from January and I was pumped!


Hubs snapped a few pictures with his phone...I'm apparently behind the camera man in this one. You can sort of see my shadow.

There I am in blue, rushing over to the wall to stretch my calf before it revolted.


I ran the first half in 51:22 proving that even slow runners can have negative splits! Holla!


I never thought I'd be able to blog about having negative splits. In a ten mile race. Seriously?


SERIOUSLY!

As I approached the finish line I asked myself two very important questions...

"Could you keep running for 3.1 miles?"

The answer was a resounding YES, of course! I can taste Half Marathon glory!

"Could you run this entire route ONE MORE TIME and then cap it off with a 10k?"

Uh...maybe? Check back with me in two weeks and I'll have a better idea of my marathon potential.