April Fools Capital 10 Miler

This past weekend marked my fourth weekend in a row with a race. As fun as it's been, I am really looking forward to a more low key weekend this coming week.

That being said, this was a hometown race which is always so fun. I belong to some running groups that always have big showings at these races and of course we have some fun getting pictures of our large and loud crew.

8:30 AM with the Fleet Feet Mechanicsburg Crew

8:40am with the River Runner Crew

From there, I went on a partial loop of City Island with my girl Katie for a warm up. The plan called for 1 mile, I got in about .7 and called it good. It was time to stretch it out a little and find my spot at the start line. 

It is always funny to line up at the start. There is a guessing game I always play with myself about where I am less likely to get sucked into starting WAY too fast, but also not getting behind the crowd where I then have to weave in and out to get to where I should have been in the first place. I think I did pretty well Saturday. I did start out a little too quick, but eventually got in a somewhat groove. 

pennlive

I went into this race with an open mind. Having been at races the 3 weekends prior, I was going to forgive myself if everything wasn't "just right." I knew I was tired and I wasn't really sure which way my body would go with racing pushing myself yet another weekend. 

This was my third year doing this race, and I swear every year I can feel myself deflate at the same point. Around mile 5, you have to run up this stupid  challenging gravel hill and it kills me every time. I should know better and pace myself but I never do. Not even on training runs. For some reason, I let it get to me. Not all the time, but too often. 

Needless to say, I walked through the water stop and then I really didn't feel back in a groove until mile 7. At that point, a friend passed me during a quick walk break and said "you got this girl." And I thought to myself.. "Ya know, she's right. I do." I ran for a little bit before thinking "nope." I took another quick walk break, drank some water and forged on. I wasn't super happy that I took walk breaks, but I was trying to be kind to myself and do what I felt needed to be done.  This section of the race had us running straight into the wind which proved to be pretty hard and I could not get my pace back to save my life.

The next chunk of the race was an out and back on the bridge we locally refer to as the "Harvey Effing Taylor bridge" because it is mostly just torture every time you run it. Major workout in major mental strength. While on the bridge, I got my rhythm back and knew that with the finish line coming closer and closer, that I could finish strong.

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I did just that. I picked up my speed a bit and found a good rhythm and went with it. I knew I wasn't going to PR this year, but that was okay. I was crossing that finish line having run 10 miles and still had a good time despite just not really being in the game.

Funny enough.. I finished within a minute of last years time. So funny that on a bad day this year I performed so close to my BEST day running last year. I had a great race last year and everything aligned just so.  I may have crossed the finish line this year just being glad to be done but, like in every race I run, I come across the finish line as just a tad different than when I started. Always 

good. 

Some crazies after we finished the race. Me being WEIRD trying not to spill the other cup of water I had behind my friends back. I had probably finished all of 2 minutes prior to this picture. 

The best part about local races is ultimately a HUGE breakfast with everyone. I am hugging my coffee here because it all I wanted all morning and the waitress thought I was "spacing out" when she asked for my order and I missed it. HAHA. Thanks Katie for the picture. 

River Runners Rock at eating all the delicious food post race.

So that's the big race recap. Nothing mind blowingly wonderful and exciting but another great day in running nonetheless. There's a lot to said for hometown race. All the friends. All the cheering. All the excitement at the finish line. 

This whole post would be a fat fail if I didn't mention how funny it was when we realized that our shiny, new and wonderful medals.. 

Had the wrong date on them!! HAHAHA. No. This is no April Fools joke. Look for yourself.

We were all a little confused for a minute and then one of the volunteers told us there had been a mistake. I can't even be mad because ultimately it was kind of hysterical!!

Have you ever run a race where there was an error on your medal (or shirt?) Would it bother you?