Race Results

The 37th Annual Rescue Run 10k

(January 1st, 2015)

Well, it was the first race of the year and I was psyched out of my mind to see where I was at with my fitness!

[Psyching up pre-race with Linkin' Park and Eminem!]

The course was beautiful, hilly, snowy (= cold 10F / -12C) with great views of Pikes Peak and Colorado Springs. From my bodies perspective however, it was bloody ugly! (aka bloody hard)

[Guess where the course is headed?]

Here's my interpretation of the course description (http://www.rescuerun.org/index.php/course)

" The course is challenging and hilly (Yep!). The 10K course is on paved roads, gravel (with snow) roads, and dirt (and snow) trails. The first mile is all uphill (you better believe it!), then it is flat to rolling for the next couple of miles (I personally don't believe their is any flat land in Colorado, and certainly none in this race. Let's compromise and agree it was rolling from mile 1 to 4). Then there's another uphill stretch for about a mile (dear Lord will there ever be downhill?!!). The last mile and a half or so are pretty much all downhill (finally I can breathe! But my quads, my quads!!). The views on the 10K course are spectacular, with panoramic views of Pikes Peak and the Front Range mountains. (I'll take their word for it as I was sucking wind and trying not to have an aneurism.)"

In all seriousness, it was a well organized race that was challenging to all and I'm glad I did it.
The cold and snow added another dimension to contend with, and so while the finishing stretch was pretty bare of supporters, it made for great camaraderie as the finishers huddled together over hot coffee/tea/chocolate and subsiding pain (or maybe body heat - did I mention there was snow?):

My goal going into this race was simple - to assess my current fitness, weaknesses and strengths. With a time of 47min 22sec I found out a lot.

Strengths:
- good endurance - I had plenty of gas in the tank and didn't feel cardiovascularly stretched,
- good descending hills - passed a good bunch of people (Note to self: For every down hill, there must be an uphill. Crap! (see weaknesses)),
- good mental strength (it was hard but I went in committed not to walk and I hit it).
- recovered quickly.

Weaknesses:
- poor leg strength (hills were hard going),
- poor leg turnover and speed,
- weak hips (hips dropped back early on instead of staying tall),
- left knee valgus (left knee dropped inwards on hills),
- I'm a quad runner not a glute runner (glutes are big strong muscles and not using them effectively makes for an inefficient, low power and low endurance runner)

Much to work on in the coming training cycles. My focus will be on increasing hip and glute strength to reduce knee valgus (and injury risk) and increase power.

So what a great challenge to kick of this epic adventure that is 2015 as I train up for my first 50 and 100 milers! Hope to see you all on the trails soon!

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Lao-tzu, The Way of Lao-tzu

(Chinese philosopher - 604 BC - 531 BC)