I have no allegiance, but I strapped on some purple shoes (and black capris with purple stripe) and headed out to run what ended up being the hilliest 10k I’ve ran, and I did that Duvall 10k that was straight uphill at the beginning. Seriously, who would want to go UW with all those hills?
I’ll add photos later, but my official time is why this needs a post. I finally broke the 12 minute mile race pace that has been plaguing me since Surgery #1 where I gained 30 pounds and didn’t move for a few months. I can do it on the treadmill no problem, and I’ve been getting some good training in, but race day has always been slower for me.
I hit the 12 minute exactly mark the week before at the Myrtle Edwards 10k. It was disappointing as my Garmin read 11:45, so I was hoping to be under 12 in the official. When that didn’t happen, I registered for the Dawg Dash 10k with a goal of 11:30 again!
Turns out a week of travel, hot hot hot weather, and more travel left me with sniffles and a sore throat. I gave up the 11:30 goal and decided to just have fun. I wheezed through the race, had to walk up the crazy, crazy campus hill. Seriously, who would go to that school? Coughed a little. I actually got dizzy running the hill and had to stop. Just stop. And then walk. I probably could have pushed myself, but I kept thinking of those 7 half marathons coming up and knew that I shouldn’t make myself sick.
I could do a recap, but it was 10k. It was 6 miles of me doing a little running and doing a little walking. I didn’t finish last but the banana were already gone regardless.
Strangely, the just have fun, walk up the hills approach had me coming in a full minute faster than last week. What does that translate to: an 11:51 pace. I broke that 12 minute barrier. FINALLY!!!!
Now down to 11:30 and then 11, and then 10, hopefully leaving me around the 9 minute mark where I would like to live comfortably. I know I need to lose this extra weight before I can really speed up, but that will come now that I’m healthy again. It only took me 2 years to get here (and 2 surgeries and several pounds and having to relearn to run), but the improvements from here will be faster, I have a feeling!
