2.3m warmup @7:38 pace. 6 mile race. 6 mile cooldown@ 7:43.
About a week ago I decided it would be fun to run a race that I had won last year by 4+ minutes- the Wasatch Wellness 10k. By my opening line, you can probably tell that this isn't typically the MOST competitive race on the block. But I thought it'd be a nice 2nd tempo for the week, and first place gets a $100 prize. (Well, only $72 after registration fees) Second place gets zilch, so the stakes were high in a sense. Two days before the race I didn't have time to run, so the day before the race I decided to go 8 miles. Clearly, I was expecting a similar racing experience to last year.
The gun went off and I went straight to the front. After a few minutes I noticed that someone was still on me. a few minutes later he was still there… and our breathing sounded pretty similar. I realized that whoever was behind me probably wasn't going to just drop off. However, I continued to press forward with confidence, thinking I could squeeze the juice out of him if I kept the pace healthy. My first 3 miles were 5:24, 5:39, 5:46… all ascending up the Provo River trail. The turn around was right at 3 miles and I got a glimpse of my nemesis- a thin, springy, fast looking athlete. He then proceeded to throw a VERY fast surge in the next 100 meters. For a moment I thought it was all over. He must have run 16 seconds over that 100 meters. A quarter mile later I reeled him back in and he relinquished the lead to me again. Mile 4 was 5:05. About a mile later, he threw in a similar surge, which took even more mental effort to cover. I once again regained the lead. Mile 5 was 5:07. It was apparent he was hoping to kill my spirits and then take it in easy, as I kept catching him. At this point I began to have bigger doubts. "Why didn't I run less yesterday? This guy is toying with me, he could take off and own me no problem". I would try to counter these thoughts with some self motivation: "I can just sprint away the last 100-200m meters and he won't be able to stick". But with 400m to go, he made another hugely decisive move… this time I gave up. Then I noticed he looked back and had slowed down considerably. I hesitated, but then decided I had closed bigger gaps before.. and took off! He quickly realized I was gaining and put in another gear himself. He finished first in 31:51, and i came in less than a second later in 31:52. Last mile 4:58 pace for .98m. As we crossed the line, Manuel Mena keeled over and sounded and looked horrible. It was then that I realized I had been a WUSS! I felt like I normally did after a workout, but nothing more. He had mentally defeated me, and absolutely deserved the win. After the race I did a 6 mile cool down with Manuel and Robert Finicum (5k winner, that dude knows how to get in the right races!). Manuel doesn't speak much English (He is getting his MBA at UVU and is from Mexico), so I got to practice my very limited Spanish during the run. Very cool dude.
Even though I feel a bit frustrated with myself after this race, I think it will serve to make me a better runner. I need to do those workouts that make me wanna keel over at the end. I need to get some of that competitive fire under me! It has been too long, and a nice piece of humble pie never did anyone harm. I look forward to running better at the Deseret News Classic next week, and then at Saint George in October.
5.98m- 31:52 (5:20 pace)
Place- 2nd
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