I Race for Shay

A Chickamauga 10 miler Race Report

I slept pretty good Friday night. Circumstances tilted in my favor, and I was able to get out of the restaurant at 9 PM at night. Nothing was ready to go when I got home. I ate the last of the pizza Dee Dee and the boyz had for dinner. I then proceeded to get my stuff together. It had been a while since I had prepared for a road race.

Sometime around 10 PM, I finished my preparations. I would wear my ING Georgia outfit. I used Joe's spreadsheet to determine what to wear. I set all the alarm clocks to go off at 4:45 AM and climbed into bed to snuggle with Dee Dee. Sometime between 10 and 11 I fell asleep.

I think I woke up one time last night and got a little excited, but I was able to go back to sleep. When the alarm went off on time, I laid in bed for a few minutes. This is dangerous for me. I've been known to "check my eyelids for cracks" for hours, quite by accident. After a few minutes, I climbed out of bed, got dressed, and headed downstairs. The coffee in the pot was already brewed. I had a bowl of Captain Crunch. Grabed my gear, and headed out the door.

The ride up to Chickamauga was NOT the greatest. I had allocated myself an hour and a half. I hoped to get there around 6:30 AM, pick up my packet, then socialize with Brian and Nat. When I got to the interstate, they had closed the exit down for road work. I was forced to travel south on I-75 for five to ten minutes in order to be able to turn around and head north. I don't know about you guys, but being late makes me nervous.

Without further a-do, I arrived at the Chickamauga exit around 6:30 PM. I followed the Google Maps directions. They were real good, up until the point they sent me down a dead end street. I went back out to the road, headed down to the next intersection and was fortunate to see the signs directing me to the marathon. I got there around 6:50 AM. First order of business was to stop at the nearly empty port-o-pots. I then called Brian and let him know I was on my way in. Brian told me he was waiting inside the packet pickup (gym). As I walked inside the, there Brian was, waiting by the entrance.

Brian, it was real pleasure meeting you, bro! I hope we get the chance to train together sometime for the Florida 70.3!

I went to the tables and picked up my packet, then headed over to the race peeps who had my chip. I ended up using two ties to secure the chip to my shoe. I shoulda woulda coulda brought my chip belts I bought, but I honestly didn't think about it. I then spent the next fifteen minutes or so chatting up Brian. Towards the start of the race, Brian needed to go change, so I went out front to see if I could find Nat. I stumbled upon her talking to a friend of hers. I listened in on their conversation a bit. Then Nat and I headed to the start of the race to get ready to go. I wished Nat luck, then I backed off to give her time to finish her preparations. I found Brian at the back of the pack, wished him luck, then headed back up to the front of the pack to cheer all the marathoners on.

The color guard displayed the flags. The national anthem was sung. The race director count down. With a loud horn blast, the marathon was started. Brian and Nat were off. I cheered for all the marathoners. It was a beautiful morning for running. The temps were in the forties, and the sun was shining bright. After the marathoners got off, I went back into the gym to warm up for a bit. Ten minutes before the 10 mile start, I headed back down to the race and ran about half a mile to warm up. The race director basically repeated the exercise for us. Before I knew, the horn blew, and we were off and running.

Let me just say that the karma was strong. The runners were unbelievable. They were male, female, short, tall, fast, slow, and everything in between. My breathing was easy and strong, and I couldn't believe my pace. I was running sub-8 to start out. This wasn't the plan. I consciously slowed down, but due to the excitement of the race, and the adrenaline, I skipped my first walk break and ran my first mile straight through.

During my first mile, I was trying to determine how to handle this situation. I basically decided that I would stick to the original run 4 walk 1 plan. I wasn't so much concerned with my pacing goals. I decided to basically run as fast as I was comfortable. As long as my legs were strong and my breathing was not labored, I would run with it.

The Chickamauga battlefield was beautiful. It had to be one of my best running locations ever. The hills were gentle. The downhills long and gradual. The sun was shining bright, but an ever so slight haze hung over the battlefield. Cannons pointed across empty fields where forgotten sons and fathers fought and died in one of the greatest failures of government. As you rounded corners, tall monuments reached to the heavens in silent tribute to specific units from northern and southern states.

I settled into my R4/W1 routine in the second mile, but I continued to turn in mile after mile at around a 9 minute pace. I tried to remind myself that this was not a 10K. I was running 10 miles. Somehow, it just didn't seem to matter. I knew, from past experience, that the second half of the race was my "best half". I loved negative splits, and I would do whatever it required. I crossed the mat at the half way point in 45:05, for a 9:01 pace.

My Garmin, by the way, had pretty much been recording the mile splits about 50 yards in front of the mile markers for the race. I thought that was a bit odd, but I went with it. At the first water stop on the way back, I had a gel and some water to wash it down. I think it was between miles 6 and 7 that we saw the deer grazing on the battlefield. One doe decided she wanted to cross the road we were all running on, but she was scared. After several attempts, she turned around and headed back out into the field. In the mean time, we were graced with beauty of her presence.

After my walk break during mile 8, I hooked up with an ultra that was running the 10 miler. We chatted a bit, but then he decided to pick up the pace a bit and left me behind. Before the end of my eighth mile, I had my second gel. This time, I unfortunately did not eat the entire gel. I stuck the wrapper in my pocket, and it proceeded to leak out into my shorts.

I wanted not to, but I decided to go ahead and take one last break during the 10th mile. As I made the turn and headed back towards the church, I picked up the pace. I had been leap frogging some runners. On this final push, I passed them for good. Some kind folks cheered me on as I made the final left turn into the finish line. I had about a tenth of a mile to finish. I picked up the pace, sprint to the end, and finishing strong. I had no expectation of doing sub 1:30, so I was extremely delighted to see my final time come in at 1:31:08, for a 9:08 average pace. True to form, my last mile was my strongest, coming in at 8:39.

My right leg, by this point, was a sticky goey mess. I grabbed something to drink, then headed back to the gym to clean out my pocket and my leg. I spent a few more minutes having a few delicious slices of pizza. Since I was on a tight schedule, I had to jump in my car and leave quickly. It took every minute I had saved to get to my son's game on time, but I made it, and that too was a great feeling.

I am a master planner. I guess it comes with the territory. Evidently, for races, I suck at execution. That is just something I am going to have to work on. I had already decided on the way down to dedicate this race to Ryan Shay. I didn't know Ryan, yet I did know him. I was engulfed by the very bond that ties me to him during the first mile of the race. I am a runner. I am competitive, and that is enough for me to feel like I am part of the community to which Ryan Shay belonged. So, for this race, on this day, I dedicate it to you, Ryan. Keep the warm ups short, and the races long, until we all run together.

I did learn a few things for this race.

1. I will not be able to sustain that pace for 26.2 miles
2. The pocket I bought for my fuel belt will not work with a race belt.
3. Eat all of the gel before sticking it into your pocket.
4. I HAVE TO FOLLOW THE PLAN ON MARATHON DAY :-)

The bottom line is that I enjoyed this race from the very start. I was having such a great time. I was hauling butt. My body was responding beautifully. I am sore in different places today, but the ass bacon and knee or feeling fine. It was a great day, a great race, and I can hardly wait for the next one.

Bring on that wimpy marathon ;-)

Wes

ORN: 10 miles, 01:31:08, race pace, R4/W1, 09:08 mmp