Philharmonic 10k

Today's race was a really liberating experience. I went in to it after PR'ing last Saturday and not running even a smidgen all this week. I knew it would be a hard run because I haven't done six miles in a couple months, and I haven't done a 10k race since Thanksgiving. So I went into this race completely free of all expectations. I just wanted to enjoy the atmosphere, have a good workout, and support a good cause.

A fitted tech shirt?! Smalls still available at pick up?! Oh my gosh, day is MADE.

Matt (who recently told me he thought it was weird I refer to real-life people on my blog by their initials, and pointed out that in my last post I revealed his name via the photo of the iPod, so now he gets the full-name treatment) and I got to the Naples Philharmonic around 6:30. We got good parking, retrieved our bibs and race chips, and had time to use the facilities (80 times) and take a warmup jog before the race began.

I kind of went against my own advice and had tacos the night before the race. They were fish tacos, so I figured they'd be less spicy and tummy-upsetting, but I was wrong. I wasn't really sick, but my stomach is a lot easier to deal with on race days if I have a nice salad the night before.

They were irresistible!

I haven't run a race that used a chip separately from a bib since the Naples Half in 2011, and Matt never has, so I had to teach him how to use it. Quite the adventure.

Pre-race jitters. Our friend J is behind me, checking out the scene.

Holy crowd, Batman!

Anyway, the day was chilly but sunny, and pretty early into the run I was feeling warm. My hips began to hurt almost immediately (I think my new orthotics still need some gentle wearing-in), but they weren't so bad that I had to stop. My knees were totally pain-free, probably because I kept the pace as slow as I possibly could and still call it a run.

Musicians from the Philharmonic, including students, were set up in the median along the course (which is exactly the same as I've been running weekly on Tuesdays). It was fun to hear the music as we ran by.

Photo-on-the-run...blurry, but you get the idea.

Anyway, despite the great atmosphere and nice weather, I just didn't have it in me today. I took a .15-mile walk break around mile 4, and then took water at 5 before finally finding a second wind and running the rest of the race. I forgot that 10ks can be challenging if you haven't trained up for them. I mean, I could run a 5k after weeks off (which I did for Edison in February), but a 10k is a whole different animal.

Making my way to the finish.

So why, then, do I call this race liberating? Because seeing the time at the end didn't devastate me. I knew I was going to be slow, I enjoyed the run, it benefited a good cause, the tech-tee is awesome, and Carrabba's catered the free post-run meal. Plus, I got to see a slew of familiar faces.

I couldn't eat the pasta, but the chicken was divine.

I left the race feeling positive. I was happy to go in without a goal in mind, and not having a goal saved me from feeling upset over my less-than-satisfactory finishing time (1:08:59).

The Philharmonic has some cool statues on the grounds...

...And I am totally mature and this really happened. In public. And people saw.

Oh, and of course, we stopped off at Whole Foods and picked up GF pop tarts and chocolate milk (er, protein shakes) to finish the morning.

I hate the protein-powder taste of these shakes usually, but this one was very tasty!

How was your Sunday? Did you have a race in this weekend?

ABK

PS: Matt is really happy because he destroyed his last 10k time by 2 minutes, finishing in 55:38.

Consecutive numbers, ftw.