Today I ran in the 30th Annual Elizabeth River 10K. I have run this event before but was always on the other side of the river. This was a preparation run to see where I am in getting ready to run the Rock and Roll 1/2 Marathon over Labor Day. I finished in an hour and 16 minutes (33rd in my age group and 687 out of about 900 runners). Slow for what I had hoped.... but better then I expected the way I felt. So what can I take away from today's race:
1. I need to lose some weight.
I have known this for a while. I let my weight get higher then it should be and paid the price for it today. I did start back on my diet last Sunday and have stuck to it.
2. I have to run outside, in the heat, to prepare to run outside, in the heat.
I can't just assume that working out 5 days a week inside the Y will prepare me to run outside in the heat. While I feel the workout I get is good at the Y, I need to alternate it with running outside, in the heat, to acclimatize myself.
3. I need to focus more on distance then time.
I am not going to win any races. So my goal should be to complete the race and not get so concerned about my time. In my younger days, I ran 6 marathons. I found that the slower I went, the more I enjoyed the race and was able to enjoy the accomplishment of running 26.2 miles.
4. Walking through water stops so you can actually drink some water and not spill it is a wise idea.
This has to do with number 3. Walking through a water stop is not going to effect my time by more then a few seconds. The benefit of the water outweighs the couple of seconds I would lose in walking.
5. I need to wear a headband. This is one lesson I learned in the last two races. You would think I would have done it.
This is why I decided to write this post. I am hoping that my next race, I will look back at this lesson's learned and do what I know I need to do. The sweat was pouring into my eyes and not only stung but made it aggrevating to see as well.
6. I missed the support of family (my wife is away spending time with our daughter). Finishing a race is much more enjoyable when there is someone to meet you at the end.
I have done races before without my wife at them when I finish. Its always the same thing. But I had really wanted to get a 10K race in around this time and decided not to postpone it. At the 1/2 marathon, she will be there with both our daughter and me running.
Do you ever do a "lessons learned" after being part of an event? If so, how do you remember what the lessons learned were?
0 comments:
Post a Comment