Rodes 10K Race

So yesterday was the Rodes 10K Race, the Second Leg of the Louisville Triple Crown. This was my longest race I have been in. While I have done 3 times the mileage in Marathon Training, anyone runner will tell you that Race Day Running is on a different level than training running.

So the starting for this race was chaotic at best. It was so insane, my wife and daughters couldn't stay and watch me start because it was getting unsafe for my daughters to be standing around because the crowd was getting out of hand.

So once I crossed the starting line (about 10 minutes after the race start), I hit Start on my Garmin and started. As I came up on the 1 mile marker, I felt good...I decided to check out my Garmin to see my pace. I almost flipped when I saw 9:28. Not because I was doing an incredible first mile, but while I am a beginner runner, I know enough about proper pacing. I also know, this being my first 10K, I didn't want to gas out.

Let me explain, I love Science Fiction...always have, always will. That being said, to help my Illuminati Runner self, I tend to separate my thought and body...and get ready to laugh, I tend to think of my Body as like The Starship Enterprise: My Legs are Propulsion/Warp Engines; My Lungs/Breathing are Engineering Department; My Arms are Shields; My Eyes are On-Screen Visuals; and my Brain is Capt./Admiral/Pvt. (depending on how great a run I am having determines rank, and/or promotion lol) Runner.

So as I approached the big hill leading into Cave Hill Cemetery, I did a systems check. Shields, On-Screen Visuals (mind you, it was sunny, I didn't wear Sunglasses) were running at optimum standards. Engineering informed me that Warp Engines were running too hot for our long haul journey. So I commanded Engineering to ease some of the power from Warp Engines and put it to Shields to carry us.

Now that y'all are done laughing at my Fully Engaged Inner Geek, the key to the above paragraph, was now I was heading into the loop around Cave Hill Cemetery, where my Dad is buried. After less than 24 hours previous, finding out that Baby Q is a girl and the reaction of the girls, I had a lot to tell Dad about (not just in my head, but in person). I can honestly say, after the water stop (which was a log jam...thank you sidewalk), I don't remember much of the race...I put the Starship into Cruise Control and went somewhere else.

I am not going to be able to explain this correctly, and some of it is private, but I had great peace when I left that loop. Now it was time to check back in with the race. I checked my Garmin, and realized I was somewhat on my 5K pace, and to be honest, I wasn't sure what to think of it. Plus the hills on this course were insane. Not necessarily steep, but just plentiful!! I mean, I spent so much time traveling up and down, I was sure I would hit an iceberg!!

I hit the 4 mile mark and texted Damary "2 miles' (we have a system worked out where when I get close to the finish, so she and the girls can get ready, I text her when I get close), and I was starting to have two major problems: 1) Warp Engines told me we didn't have much left...not much at all and 2) My back was having a spasm...I am not sure if it was a side effect from the 3000 Crunches in 7 Days Challenge, or what, but suddenly running upright was going to to take a mental effort. So Engineering diverted all available power to Warp Engines and Shields. Simply because I figured the legs will follow the arms, and I needed my breathing to be deep.

Then something else happened to me that has never happened...the bottom of my right foot went numb, and most all of my left foot went numb. The last mile and a half was going to be gut check. It was time to nut-up. So on pure gut instinct, I had Engineering put EVERYTHING into Warp Engines and figured this was where I was going to make my stand.

I powered through and saw the finish line...I had no clue what my time would be, but I knew I needed that finish line and NOW! I turned the corner, and then I saw the clock (there was no banner or anything otherwise, to let runners know we reached the finish. As I had NOTHING left, I heard Damary and the girls. I found them and tried to give a thumbs up, and gave a final kick, and crossed the line and hit Stop on my Garmin.

I had done it, it wasn't pretty, but I powered through the pain, the anguish the highs and the lows. I had even beat my goal time. Oh, I ran the whole thing (except when I was trying to eat my gel blocks...turns out, I need to work on that coordination lol)

Next up, 18 miles this weekend, Papa John's 10 Miler in two weeks...and then the Derby Festival Marathon.

-Until the Wheels Fall Off
-Corey, The Illuminati Runner

Comments

  1. LOVE your enterprise analogy!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!

    You did amazing Corey and I am so very proud of you, I am sure your family is sooo very proud of you too!

    ReplyDelete

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