MONUMENT AVENUE 10K RACE REPORT

Yes, I know.  It's been a while.  I've been preparing for my biggest race yet -- a 10k!  Between working retail, speed workouts at the track that have completely drained me of energy, and sleeping/eating I have been pretty scarce.  But now I have a race report for you!

After having completed two 5ks and an 8k, I decided that a 10k was my next challenge.  I had managed to cover 7 miles twice in training runs so I knew that the distance wouldn't be a problem.  (I like heading into a race knowing that I can at least finish the distance.)  My goal time was 1:15, which is about a 12 minute pace.  I finished the Sweetheart 8k back in February in 59:54, which is also about 12 minute pace, but it was also 21 degrees and my body felt like a big block of ice.  Anyway, I digress.

The Monument Avenue 10k is one of the largest 10ks in the country and regularly attracts 40,000+ participants.  So this was my first large race.  I was really excited about the expo; I'm such a sucker for products.  I racked up on a ton of freebies, including water bottles, cow bells, and free samples!  I also got three sparkly Bani Bands which I love -- they are adjustable, unlike Sweaty Bands.  I wore two of these bands to my race, a black sparkle and a pink sparkle!  Yeah!

I unfortunately couldn't sleep on Thursday or Friday night before the race on Saturday.  I had heard that it's ok if you don't sleep well the night before the race, it's the night BEFORE the night before that really counts.  So of course, I couldn't get to sleep just because I knew I should.  Awesome.  But once Saturday morning dawned, it felt like the morning of a field trip in middle school -- you're so excited, it doesn't matter that you're up before it's light!

My mom wanted to come to this race with me for support so we met her friend (who had run the race before) at a parking lot where we could leave our cars and carpooled.  We drove right to a deck and popped right in; considering the vast amounts of people, it was really well organized.  The wave starts really help, I think, as we had no trouble leaving either.  Once we walked to Monroe Park, the central location of partying/eating/prepping, you could tell it was a huge party atmosphere.  Corn dogs, funnel cakes, speakers blaring LMFAO, etc.  It was a sort of chilly drizzly morning, but that didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits. 

I made the mistake of registering way too far back, in wave UB (70-75 min. finish time).  I didn't take into account that lots of slower runners/walkers hop ahead, so next year I will register up a few waves.  My wave started at 9:38 so we walked down there 20 mins. or so early, which worked out great.  I had enough time to get comfy, check my shoelaces, turn on my iPod, and get my Garmin going.  My Garmin didn't want to pick up a signal at first, I'm guessing due to the tall buildings and massive amounts of people.  Luckily it kicked in just as the start gun went off!

The start was super crowded -- there were 1500 people in my wave alone.  But once we got out of the first few twisty blocks and out onto Monument, it opened up a little bit.  I will say -- I had to keep dodging slower folks/walkers for the entirety of the race.  PLEASE -- if you are a walker -- don't stop in the middle of the road, and get to the right!!  I don't want to have to mow you over, but I signed up for this race in the appropriate wave to race it, so please move.  Ok, thanks.  (Also -- please don't toss your cup right into my path, or spit to your left when I'm right there.  Really.)

I am really familiar with Monument Avenue which was a blessing and a curse.  Sometimes in a race where the course is unfamiliar, not knowing how far away the finish line is sort of helps you to keep going.  But knowing how far I was from the finish was hard psychologically.  I made myself start really slow knowing that I really wanted to go all out the last few miles.  The adrenaline of all the people, the bands, and the cheer sections really make you want to pick it up.  It took a couple of miles for me to really feel loose, and after the halfway point I said to myself "Ok, all out, sister."  My 5k split was 37:xx (I just glanced at my Garmin) and I thought to myself "That's ok, it's on pace for your goal time, but you can do better."  Needless to say the second half hurt more than the first, and I left nothing on the course.

My splits were mostly negative, per the below:

Mile 1: 12:27

Mile 2: 11:55

Mile 3: 11:37

Mile 4: 11:26

Mile 5: 11:31

Mile 6: 11:10

Mile .2: 2:22

The last .2 miles were agonizing.  There is a series of small hills at this point of Monument, where you crest and dip a bit and you lose sight of the finish line.  You can see it from probably a half mile away and I was thinking "ALMOST THERE!"  Then dip, you go down the hill and you can't see it anymore.  You think it must be a million miles away.  Then, like an oasis in the desert, there it is again!  Sweet savior, you're nearly there!  With about a few hundred meters left I think I lost total control of my lower half.  My Garmin says my best pace was 6:45 so I think at this point a Kenyan must have possessed me, I was just ROLLING.  All I wanted was to finish, and finish I did -- under my goal time!  Final chip time was 1:12:27, beating my goal time of 1:15 and my own personal PR around the neighborhood of 1:13:48.  I am thrilled.

Me in the pink, having just crossed the finish line

I have heard a lot of people say that they love to run this race because of the cheer sections along the way, the bands, etc.  I can definitely see that.  But to tell you the truth, I had tunnel vision.  I tried to tune out the bands because I had my iPod, and though I saw the cheerleaders etc. on the sidelines, I didn't really take much of it in.  I was so focused on the road ahead and taking it a block at a time that what I remember are snapshots, tiny snippets of faces frozen in time here and there.  I kind of got into this zone where I didn't really let my mind drift too much because if I did, I got distracted and that's not the kind of runner I am.  When I try to remember the race itself I kind of feel like maybe I was coming out of amnesia; you know, how you remember some small moments here and there but overall, I can't really tell you much.  Hah.

I would definitely run this race again as it's a Richmond tradition and SO well done.  I really thought that the crowds would stress me out and really be a headache, but it was great.  If you're local to the Richmond area (or don't mind the travel) I'd definitely recommend this race.  A great time, a nice flat course, and a fab expo!  

More pics:

 

 Me being silly with all my pink, including glitter nail polish.  Runners also got White House rolls at the finish; they are so epically delicious.

Mommy and me

I was so happy after finishing this race, both with my time and the overall experience of a larger, longer race that I registered for the American Family Fitness Half Marathon this November!  I'm officially training for a half marathon, how crazy is that.  I can't wait!!