Reflecting On My First 10K
By now you've read the really long race report (sorry), and you know more than you ever wanted to know about the race itself. Since Saturday, I've had some time to reflect on the race, and my training, and I thought I'd share a little bit with you.
I love how I feel after I cross the finish line. This hit me yesterday as I was walking myself back through the race. If I put in my best effort during a race, the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing is very powerful. It really is like a drug, and to me, that's my runner's high—regardless of whether endorphins are released, or not. This is why I race.
I've got to work on my pre-race jitters. It never fails, I am a nervous wreck leading up to a race. I internalize most of it, but there are some clues that are easily picked up. For example, I talk nonstop about the race: my pacing strategy, hydration, nutrition, what to wear, what not to wear, etc. When I've exhausted all of my race talk I'll begin questioning everything about my running: have I trained enough, will I be able to hold my pace, what if I bonk, etc. Oddly enough, once I'm lined up in the starting area and ready to race, the nerves go away completely and my quiet confidence returns. In my opinion a little nervousness is a good thing, as it can motivate and energize, and it shows that I care about the outcome, but I think I could manage it better (for Julie's sake).
I like the 10K distance. I really enjoyed racing the 10K. I enjoy racing 5Ks, too, but the 10K just might be my favorite. I liked that I didn't have to go hard right from the start—that I could start with a fast, but comfortable pace through the first half, and then really bring it on home to the finish. Once the race started, I was surprised that I didn't dwell on how this race was TWICE as long as any race I've done. Perhaps I like the distance so much because I so easily set a 10K PR! ;-)
Trust the training. It's not that I don't trust the training, it's that until I race, I am not really sure. I can look at all of the data from my training runs, compare recent runs to past runs, speculate as to how I'll do come race day, but until I actually race, I just don't know. Well, enough of that! I've shown progress with every race. Looking at my training log, it's obvious that I am making progress. There's no reason not to trust the training. That doesn't mean that I should blindly trust the training. Certainly, I need to pay attention, and assess how things are going. If my body stops adapting, or if I sense a loss of effectiveness, I'll need to make some changes. But unless and until that happens, trust the training.
There you go...a few of my thoughts from this weekend. Aside from the Rock 'n' Roll San Antonio Half Marathon in November, I don't have any other races scheduled. If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears.
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Bryan
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7:28 AM
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Health and Fitness
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