Race #102 – Sunrise Run on the Greenway 10k – Morganton, NC – 09/11/10

Sunrise runphoto © 2010 The U.S. Army | more info (via: Wylio)

I don’t believe that “you’re only as good as your last race,” although you’d never know it by the way I kicked myself around all week after running a disappointingly slow 10k last weekend at the Midnight Flight in Anderson, SC. It’s not that it was really all that slow, but at 47:07 it was 4 minutes slower than I ran the same race last year. This week I decided to get back out there and run another 10k to see if I had actually slowed down that much in a year’s time or if maybe I could do better. Fortunately it was a better race and I finished in 43:32. There were a lot of races to choose within about a 60-mile radius of home, but this was the only 10k. It was definitely worth the 60-mile drive. The race was centered around the Catawba Meadows Park in Morganton and it’s got to be one of the most beautiful parks and greenway systems in the state. The entire race was on the greenway, with the 5k and 10k races starting together but then separating after just a minute or two into the race.
I started close to the front and was surprised to see so many runners already ahead of me as the 10k runners ahead took their separate route. I estimated that I was probably in about 20th place in that first mile. There were no hills to speak of. I passed a few runners and a few others passed me. I considered taking a walk break, which is nothing new for me, but I figured it could be in my best interests to keep running, which I did. At one point a runner passed me and I said something to encourage him like “good job” or something similar. It sounded to me like he replied with, “I’m not doing that good… you’re just doing bad.” Hmmm. Maybe I was just hearing things, or maybe he was just trying to be funny… or a jerk.  No biggy either way, I guess, but it was a strange response if I heard it right.
So I’m happy with my time and considered this a major tune-up for next week’s Asheville Citizen-Times Half Marathon, the second race of the Running Journal Grand Prix season. I also have another half marathon scheduled for the following week. I’m still wearing a knee brace and at times I’m feeling just a little instability in my right knee, but hopefully it won’t be too much of a problem until I run the New York City Marathon on November 7th.
Race Rating:
9 – 1-10 Website (Information, results, registration, photo links, etc.)
9 – 1-10 Awards (Quality of medals, trophies, etc.) (1 to 10)
8 – 1-10 Awards Presentation (PA system, winning times, etc.) (1 to 10)
3 – 1-10 Food for Race Participants (1 to 10)
6 – 1-10 T-Shirts (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
4 – 4/6 Part of Race Series (Grand Prix, etc.) (6=Yes and 4=No)
0 – 0/5 Professional Photography (5=Yes and 0=No)
4 – 4/6 Chip Timing (6=Yes and 4=No)
7 – 3/7 Certified Course (by USA Track & Field) (7=Yes and 3=No)
8 – 1-10 Course (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
8 – 1-10 Parking (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
5 – 1-10 Entertainment (1 to 10 with 5 being average)
10 – 0-10 Age Groups (10 if 5-year groups; 0 if 10-year groups)
5 – 0/5 Indoor Shelter from Elements (0 if none; 5 if provided) (Covered area)
5 – 1-10 Bathroom Facilities
0-10 Other
TOTAL – 91
My Stats:
Time: 43:32
Pace: 7:01
Age Group: 2 of 6
Overall: 14 of 79

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