31:18 at 10:02/mile.This, very surprisingly went well! Especially since I hadn't run all week, trying to de-grumpify my shins, and I wasn't even sure on race morning if I'd actually be able to run.
Well, I was. For the first bit I ran with Preston, which was new and nice for me. He pulled about 40 feet in front of me at about half a mile, which was fine because by then I knew I was ok to run. Just before the first mile marker the leader passed me going the opposite way on the out-and-back course. I looked at the guy running next to me and said "Dang!!". That guy pulled ahead of me, but I was able to use him as a rabbit for much of the rest of the course.
At one mile, my split was 10:55 gun time (and I found out later that I was 32 seconds off gun time, so 10:23). I was excited, and I thought I could speed up a bit, because I felt great. So I sped up a bit, and at the 1.5 mile turnaround I was 16:01 gun. Shortly after, I passed my parents walking the other way and gave them a big wave, and then I passed Preston who had stayed just ahead of me until he stopped running. I yelled "Let's go, Bic" and he tried to run with me again for a minute before walking it out to the end. At mile 2 I was at 21 and change, and I realized that I just ran a 10 minute mile. Sweeeeeet!!! I still felt great, so I tried to pick it up just a little bit more before the slow dying in the last mile began. The course only had one hill, which you hit twice: within the first half mile, and again between 2.5 and 3. It didn't seem too bad on the way out, but on the way back I had to really talk myself up it. It didn't help that the 3K walkers had caught up with us slower runners and I was having to weave around the course to find a free path. it would have been so easy to have stopped and walked at that point, but I told myself that I was almost there, and kept going. Finally I could see the start and knew that I was almost done, so I picked up the pace again and crossed the line in 31:50, or 31:18 chip time. A PR by almost 2 whole minutes!! And I negative split the course!! On a day I wasn't even sure I was running!!
Of course, now I wish I had pushed a little harder on that first mile, because to average 10:02 when I had a 10:30 something first mile means that I negative split the course, and also that I ran at least one mile below 10 minutes. Now I want to run *every* mile less than 10!! In time, grasshopper, in time.
Overall: I like this course better than the Astros 5K because of the smaller hill in a better location and the overall flatness otherwise. I *loved* the volunteers calling out splits at the markers!!! This was *wonderful* for those of us without lap watches. There seemed to be plenty of volunteers and all of the stops were well manned. The water spray feature was really nice, and of course, compared to the Astros 5K, it was great to actually be able to see the finish line. The family photo with Dad was really cool, and I hope it came out well. The negatives: we had to pay to park, the post-race food wasn't the greatest (I really was missing the standard fare of bananas!!), and I had trouble finding the posted results for a while.
Definitely would do this one again. May even make it a Dad's Day tradition.
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