This was the 40th running
of this race, which is named for one of the founders of the DCRRC. It’s
a rare evening race. Weather forecast was for cooler drier air all weekend. I thought this would be a good pre-marathon tune-up
race. Also, in 152 races, I had never run a 15k. So, I was looking forward to a “can’t miss” PR. J
Promptly at 6 PM, the race from hell got
under way. Four things conspired to make it one of the most difficult and disappointing races I’ve ever run. The night
before, heat, hills and a stupid course mistake.
The night before. Wedding reception that
lasted ‘til 1 AM. Martini, champagne, wine and a couple of beers. Not smart.
Heat. 95 degrees when I arrived at
the race site 45 minutes before the start. At least low-90's at race time.....so much for weather forecasts. L At least, the humidity wasn’t too bad.
Hills. This course was one continuous roller
coaster. The most hilly course I’ve ever run. Literally, not a flat segment on the entire course. The easier inclines
were long and the shorter hills were brutally steep. And this for a guy who trains on a relatively flat trail. The combination
of the heat and hills quickly took its toll and reduced me to a survival mode before I was halfway through the race.
The stupid course mistake?? No, it wasn’t
mine. It seems the DCRRC holds a 10 mile race on this same course, with the only difference being the second turn around point
on this T-shaped, out and back course. Well, guess where the second turn around was placed? Yep, you got it! The 15k turned
into a 10 mile race.....and no one knew it until the 7th mile, when the finish was suddenly 7/10 mile farther away
than we expected. You would think that, after 40 years, they could get the damn course right!
I had hoped for a 15k test race in
the range of my threshold pace of 8:55 per mile. Instead I got a 10 mile race in 1:46:06 for an average pace of 10:37....only
3 sec/mile faster than my easy training pace. Very disappointing! Heck, I didn’t even care when I lost a minute for
a pit stop (I do miss my prostate gland during races L) or hung around a water station long
enough to casually drink a cup of gatorade and a couple cups of water.
I won’t dissect this race.
I just want to log it and forget it. I can’t even find a good “lesson learned” in this one....except to
avoid (1) running too hard and (2) wedding receptions the day before races. J And, I still don’t have a 15k under my belt. L
Jim2
