This past weekend I ran in the elite field at the Ottawa 10k. What a phenomenal experience! Although the result was far from anything to talk about (13th place, 1st American, 36:01) the whole event was fabulous. I would highly recommend any of the events including the Marathon (which Aaron, my fiance ran in 2:30:01, 19th place, 1st American). As an elite runner we had our own warm-up area and bathrooms (definitely a huge bonus). Everyone was beyond helpful and supportive, yay for Canada being so welcoming!
Now to the race. Awesome is the feeling you get standing on the starting line next to Dire Tune! The woman's elite field had a 3:55 head start in front of the men. I still haven't quite figured out how to run a 10k yet. I seem to always go out to hard (my first 5k was 17:26). It was a bit hot, in the upper 70's and humid. I just felt kind of flat, which is probably to be expected since I have only run easy since the Long Island Marathon earlier this month. It was a good rust buster and learning experience. I think it is so important to take bad races, such as the Ottawa 10k for me, and see them for what they really are, an opportunity. This is my opportunity to realize I definitely need to work on my 5k/10k speed in order to help my marathon time. That is the order of business for the next month. I will focus on doing some shorter, faster workouts and racing some 5k's and 10k's. I will still keep my mileage high (between 95 and 130, maybe one week up to 140), but ultimately I will focus my attention on some quality workouts. I will also be trying to negative split my races and really finish strong.
Tip for the day, stay hydrated. It is getting warm (90 here today) so make sure to drink plenty of water and electrolytes throughout the day!
No comments:
Post a Comment