10k PR

Just finished a great 10k race today, with 300+ runners. I finished in 41:04, 6.32 pace. I placed 3rd in my age group (40-44) . . . the winner of my age group finished in 38:43. Overall, finished 29th out of 300+ runners. I'm very satisfied and it was a PR for me. It was also hilly and about a 10 mph southwest wind that made parts of the course a bit difficult. Elevation was about 5800 ft.

A few take aways.

1. Hills workouts are invaluable. This was a hilly course and on the back half, most runners just faded on the hills but I could attack the hills due to all the hill training.

2. Interval workouts are equally valuable. I was able to hold the 6:30 pace without pushing too hard. Also, the last 1,000 meters of the race, I was able to put in a last kick and took my pace down to 5:00 min. per mile and passed about 12 runners right before the finish line (this last kick probably allowed me to place 3rd).

3. My stride length has increased tremendously. I could feel how much longer I spend in the air. I'm covering 2x the distance on each stride vs. where I was 9 months ago.

I continue to have much respect for the professional runners . . . this is a really tough sport. I also realized that I so miss competition. The butterflies, the difficulty sleeping the night before, the anticipation, the prep before the race, etc. I forgot what I felt like during my 20+ years playing basketball.

Lastly, I continue to love my racing flats . . . they are just awesome shoes. I could feel the ground and I can feel my feet continue to get stronger. At this point, they feel the same as my Vibrams.

HHH