Rounding out my “K” races, I finished my first official 10K race – The Intown Ten. Earlier I ran a 5K and a 15K, so that I could have an official PR for 5K, 10K, 15K, Half Marathon, and Marathon. I enjoy races close to home, and this was one of the best – right in my neighborhood. The race started at 9 AM, and the starting line was just a short walk from my house. Talk about a low stress race morning!
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| Race time in the Virginia-Highlands… |
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| …and what is quickly becoming my standard starting line photo |
The first couple of miles or so of the course was delightfully downhill, and my high level race plan usually involves taking advantage of gravity whenever I can. Now, the race is officially in the Virginia-HIGHlands, so needless to say, you’re going to experience some hills. In general, since this is where I normally run, I’m used to them, but there always seems to be chatter amongst the runners about the horrible hills in every Atlanta race. You can pretty much tell where I was going downhill and where I went uphill by my split times:
Overall, the weather was perfect, I enjoyed the course, and it was very well run. There were two water stops, one unmanned, one manned. I did grab a cup where they were handing them out, but never stopped running.
I originally figured I would finish in the low 50s in terms of minutes, but I kept pushing, and lo and behold I found myself sprinting toward the finish line well ahead of my estimation. A part of me was hoping I could come in the 40s and I did it by almost a minute – 49:07, for an average pace of 7:55. I finished 77th overall and 11th in my age group. I was thrilled!
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| My family, including my dog, cheering me on as I approach the finish. |
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| The coolest picture I’ve ever gotten from a race |
I love this photo, because between me and our friend Rachel who finished close behind me, is my whole family in the background. Special kudos to Atlanta Trails for their great photography and reasonable prices.
At the finish line, a nice man at a computer handed me a printout with my unofficial results right on the spot – a very nice touch. Also, the gathering in the park after the race was great, with various drinks, food, giveaways, and merchandise.
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| The Intown Ten shirt |
I suspect this will be another race I will do each year. It’s run very well by USA Track and Field Georgia, and some of my favorite stores, Highland Runners and Phidippides, are both sponsors.