Race Report: 2009 Hendersonville Classic 10k

Well, I did my 1st 10k yesterday in Hendersonville. I mentally was prepared to just finish the race and not worry about my finishing time (other than finishing under 1 hr). I have ran 6 or so 5k races and a 1/2 marathon. I figured I could get through a 6.2 mile race. I done a few 6 mile runs last week to get prepared. So now for race day....

Sunday I was Illinois at my wife's family reunion. Not a good place for pre-race meals or fluid. So after 6 hours in a car and all day at a park in the rain, I was really tired come Sunday night. I woke up Monday morning and hit the commode 1st thing. My stomach was killing me!!!! I was able to get ready and my nephew showed up to ride down with me. The whole 30 min ride to the race my stomach ached and moaned. As soon as I got registered, I hit the bathroom again at the park. I was seriously thinking about not running, but figured I had to man up and do it now that I had paid for the butt ugly shirt!!!! This shirt would be at the top of Amy's 'Ugliest Race Shirt" list (I figured out how to hyperlink!!!!). Anyway, I had a guy I work with running it too. He is in my age group and is faster than me, so I knew I was not getting first...hehehe. Anyway, the race started and I settled into my 9:00 min/mile pace I had planned on. Problem is, it seemed like EVERYONE was running way faster than me!!!! I decided not to do my usual and follow everyone else's pace and just run my race. After mile 1, I serious felt like I was in last place. I hit my pace pretty good at 9:01. I was stoked about about this. I can't pace myself well yet. My running partner Rich can pace like a champ, so I just follow him. He ran the 5k though with his son, so I was on my own. My nephew and buddy from work sped off and left me at the start. I was mentally prepared for the long 1/2 mile or so hill during mile 2, so my pace stayed steady at 9:03. Two good miles for me and right on pace!!! Mile 3 was alittle different. I know the course from working wrecks on the roads we run on when I was on the unit in Hendersonville, but I forgot about the next hill. When I rounded the curve and seen it, I was like "CRAP!!!!" There were already people walking and it was starting to get very humid. I decided to keep my head down and just put one foot in front of the other. By the time I got to the top, I had slowed some and was pouring sweat!!! Mile 3 came at the top and I was off pace by almost a minute. My legs felt good, but my breathing was a little heavy and I was burning up. I brought some Jelly Belly's with me to eat at mile 3. So I slowed to a fast walk and ate them real quick and drank some water to wash them down. I didn't want to run and eat them and choke again like at the Tom King 1/2. Mile 4 had another hill and I just continued to run. I clicked off Mile 4 in 10:03. I was a minute off pace, but I walked about a minute or so to eat the Jelly Belly's. I started mile 5 and tried to get back on pace. This mile was a bummer for me. There was not much to look at and I was having a hard time concentrating. I finished mile 5 in a 9:28 pace. I knew I had 1.2 miles left and 13 minutes to do it in. I felt pretty confident I would make my 1 hr personal time limit. My nephew and I had planned coming into the race to finish strong and start pushing at the bank that is located on Indian Lake Rd. I figured it to be about 1/2 mile from the finish. I walked again for about 15-20 seconds and drank the rest of my water in my bottle I had with me. I knew I could finish strong. The 5k started 30 minutes after the 10k, so all the 5k runners were meeting up with the 10k runners with less than a mile to go both races. I told my running partner it would be cool to meet up with them there and we all finish together. So when I got to the connector, I watched for Rich and Jackson. I didn't see them anywhere, like they would be standing around waiting on me, so I kept going. I was in a group of runners when I got to the bank. I checked my watch and it was actually 0.7 miles to go. I decided to go for it anyway and started to sprint. I left the group I was with pretty quick and started reeling in the next group of runners. I checked my Garmin and I was running under a 7 min/mile pace!!! It felt great and I even got a few cheers from volunteers and runners as I passed them. I just kept trying to pick off runners one by one and run as fast as I could. I made the last turn into the finish line stretch and there they were in front of me, RICH and JACKSON!!!! I sped up some more to catch them. When I was about 10 yards behind them I started screaming "I'm coming Rich!!! I'm going to catch ya!!!!" When Jackson heard this, he hit high gear and started to sprint. I did catch Rich, but Jackson checked out and left me in his dust. Rich actually finished right in front of me too. He was blocking for Jackson a bit...hehehe. I hit my Garmin and checked my time....57:55. I was pleased with that and headed to get some fluids. My stomach never gave me issues during the race and I was thankful for that. I was VERY PROUD of Jackson for shaving 3 mins off his 5k time and finishing in alittle over 27 mins. He even finished 2nd in his age group at 27:30!!! My nephew finished in 55:55. My buddy from work finished 3rd in our age group at 50:45.

All in all, it was a great race and I plan on being back next year to run it. I enjoyed my 1st 10k and it is a nice distance to race. My next 10k I plan on running it alittle harder and try to stay on a 9:00-9:15 pace. Just one complaint....GET RID OF THE BUTT UGLY SHIRTS!!!! They are a cream color with a freakin' fish on the front. Someone asked me later Monday night if the 3rd annual Hendersonville Classic was a bass fishing tourney!!!! Get a better shirt, and this might be one of my favorite races so far!!!!!

Well, off to bed now. I am going to try and get up and get in 3 or 4 miles solo in the morning.

Happy running.....