KEYS TO 10K

I slept in till 6 this morning since I figured, with the cooler temps, I could get in my easy run during lunch. Like I said before, I only take “30 minutes” for lunch, so I hate to make this a habit. But it sure is nice to get outside during the day when it’s 70-75 and sunny. If I averaged 8:30s yesterday during my morning run, I averaged closer to 8:50s today. I know I was taking it easy, but 44 minutes for 5 miles makes me question the accuracy of my route.

Sunday’s 10k is a fairly popular race in the Twin Cities. Last year there were nearly 700 finishers and my 38:39 placed me 92nd overall. Yesterday my coach sent these keys to my 10k:

1. Your warm-up must end RIGHT before the start of the race. Do not 'cool-down' after your warm-up.

2. START SMART...even pace...and FIND A GROUP that you can draft with.

3. EXPECT TO BE MENTALLY STRONG on MILES 4 & 5...the toughest part of a 10K.

4. UNLEASH A DRIVING LAST MILE…show your passion and desire.

5. KEEP YOUR FEET FAST for 6.2 miles

It seems like good advice. I especially like #3 and #4. Last year I went out too fast, but recovered and found myself with a nice pack of women who were in the top-10. I passed the 5k in 19:00 and decided to pick up the pace. That lasted for about a half mile before the humidity caught up to me. I ended up struggling the last 2 miles and I was unable to “unleash a driving last mile.”

I haven’t really set any time goals. I guess it depends on the weather. If it’s hot and humid again, I’d like to break last year’s time. If the weather isn’t too bad, I’d like to break 37:42, which is my time from a 10k in April. I’m mainly concerned with running a smart race and focusing more on how I feel rather than my splits and the results.