Short Report:
Get Moving Tucson 10-miler, Oct 29,2005
Time: 1:18:46 (7:52.6 per mile pace)
Results: 6/48 in AG (45-49), 39/333 for Women, 188/636 Overall
URL: http://www.azroadrunners.org/events/cruise/results/05.html
Long Report:
Get Moving Tucson 10-Miler was put on to celebrate the 125th
anniversary of the Carondelet hospitals, and as a community
effort to get Tucsonans to exercise. There were several groups
to train runners and walkers for this and the 1 and 5-mile
events.
The 10-mile course went from St Joseph's Hospital on the east
side of Tucson to St Mary's Hospital on the west side. The race
was given an entire lane of Broadway Blvd, and closed off to
cross traffic for the bulk of the runners. (or so they said)
It was a gorgeous morning, clear and low 50's. Parking was easy,
with all the spots that surround hospitals. We immediately got
in line for the Porti-Potties, as they had only provided 5! Eek!
The line was so long and so slow I bailed and ran into the
hospital, and indeed found a clean and clear restroom. By the
time I got back, it was close to start time and Claude (husband)
had gotten through the line. Whew! Got that done.
Then the usual announcements and Nat'l ANthem as we all lined up
and got ready. We hadn't really had any warmup time so we got in
line a ways back and decided that a slow start would be in order.
Start! We shuffle forward slowly, then the crowd begins to move.
Maybe 10 secs or so to the start line. Up Carondelet, around the
island and back down (we get to see the leaders!) then hang a left
out of the hospital road onto Wilmot. Mile 1 is on Wilmot, and we
hit it together at 8:29. Slightly slow, but better a little slow
than fast.
Claude has stomach upset during mile 2, I'm okay and settling into
a nice pace. Some rolling hills, up and down gently. Mile 2 marker
comes at 7:45. Great! I'm hoping to run under 8:00 for the race,
and my "wish time" is 7:50. So maybe a tad fast, but I feel rather
good so don't worry.
First water stop was a mess. The short, older guy in front of me
STOPS DEAD and reaches across my chest for his water! I slam on
the brakes and go around and finally get a cup. Claude is a ways
up now and I motion him to keep going and let me try to catch him
up. It takes me a few blocks of speeding up to catch back up.
Mile 3 comes at 7:41, so I did indeed run a bit faster in the
catching up. Again, I don't worry since I'm now caught up to
Claude.
We cruise, all feels fine, Claude's stomach is ok again. Mile 4
comes at 7:52. OK, still under 8 though slightly over 7:50, but
it's fine. Mile 5 is slightly downhill, comes in at 7:47. That's
good, still feel fine! Second water stop there are no incidents.
More downhill mile 6, it comes at 7:37. I'm shocked. It just does
not feel that fast. I should try to slow down just a teensy bit.
I am having a little trouble with my allergies, I can't seem to
clear some phlegm in my throat. How annoying.
At one of the major intersections, the cops are starting to look
around to stop us! I see what they're doing and speed up. Right
after me they stop the runners to let some cars through. Man, I'm
going under 8:00 miles and they're stopping the runners! I'm nervous
now about the next intersections.
We go under the Snake Bridge (looks like a rattlesnake, a bridge for
bikes and peds) and head towards downtown. I'm amazed at the progress,
I don't feel like I've just crosssed most of town. Mile 7 comes at
7:42, good. Still ok. Then, right at Mile 8 (7:48), my hamstrings,
both legs, right above the knees, cramp. Never had that one before.
I find I have to shorten stride. I tell Claude to keep going as I
slow some. Then experiment, try relaxing, etc. Maybe about 3/4 of a
mile later I start carefully opening the stride up a little, but
I'm still not going as fast as before. I hit MIle 9 at 8:03.
I'm not happy with that, since I still feel good except for the legs.
I try a few times to open up, but can only go just a bit faster before
the hams cramp. Dang. But almost done. I try to enjoy the twists and
turns the last mile, the mariachi bands, and watch the walkers. We
just met up with the 5-mile walk and some of these folks aren't
paying a lot of attention to the fact that a bunch of tired runners
need to get through!
I come around a corner and see St Mary's! Yay! Someone yells that
the finish is just around the next corner, so I go as fast as the
hams will let me, which isn't that fast. I normally have a pretty
good kick "for an old lady", but all I can get today is a slight
surge. Last mile is 8:02, not much better. But under 8:00 OA, so I
did make that goal. The pace for the run was 7:52.6, so I almost
made the 7:50. Without the ham cramps or bad water stop, maybe...
Claude made it in at 1:17:21, btw, and is still improving after
the knee surgery late last year.
Anyway, we gathered up food. The first thing to greet us was,
potato chips? A whole table of potato chips. We did get some bagels
and fruit, but were disappointed that the breakfast burritos had
sausage in them (we're vegetarians), and the yogurt had gelatin.
But we did get enough, and got on one of the first shuttles back
to the start line to get our car. We decided not to come back for the
awards because it's really quite a mess around there, and also we
had a lot to do today and little time.
But, overall, I'm quite happy with the results. I ran hard and well,
and almost made a WAVA of 70% (69.7). I felt really quite good the
whole way, except for the ham cramps. Oh, I guess some slight annoyance
over allergies and the left shoelace being slightly too tight. But it
was faster than I thought I'd be able to do it, so I'm all smiles today!
Teresa in AZ (Really stiff and sore Sunday but mostly OK today)