This race… I’ve done this race every single year since I’ve started running. It’s the race I’ve done most times and haven’t missed one since 2007. That’s 6 in a row.
This race is full of history: it introduced women to running, 40 years ago. It cracked open a world of possibilities for us, including marathons and the olympics.
And the founding women are always there. Katherine Switzer and Nina Kuscik were there as always. This year we also had Katherine Dixon, the first winner of the Mini, and Desi Davila. Yes, all six thousand of us would be chasing some impressive women, including Desi.
Being that there were no men, the field up front was a lot girlier, and I was just feet away from the elites…
The race is always fun though. Last year I run in it a tutu. This year I went with another pink ensemble to keep it interesting. Meet up with some of my Team in Training coworkers as soon as I got there and got some shots.
Also, I am usually really (REALLY) good at pacing. And in THIS race, year after year, I always mess up. ALWAYS. I always take out too fast. I was thinking about that before the race when I looked at my splits from the last years.
Last year at the Mini, my fastest 10K so far (45:30, pace: 7:20), I took off with a 7:05. HOW??? This year I was aware of that and I knew that would not work out.
Setting the goal: I haven’t PRed since the last Mini (yes, it’s been ONE FULL YEAR!) when my pace was 7:20 in the 10K. A month ago, I did a 10K and did 7:36 average pace. I figured I should shoot for 7:30 pace (46:30 finish, a whole minute slower than last year). Goal #2 was to not crap out on mile 4 as I do in every 10K. Last year my mile 4 was 8:05. And still the average was 7:20, isn’t that crazy?
Anyway, I opened up with a 6:57 mile. Ooooooooops. Too fast. Mile 4 was 7:57, which is a lot more stable than the 8:05 I did the year before… and the finish… 46:37!!! Right around what I had planned! Avg pace was 7:31.
I was quite happy. Not a PR yet, but I am closing the gap slowly, no pun intended!
No finish line/official pictures yet, you’ll have to wait for that mess.
Below: my team (mostly only guys left as it was a womens race) cheering. No comments.
Picked up my medal, a carnation, 2 cups of Gatorade and run back to the Finish to cheer with my friend Patricia. She had done great too!!! (As usual!)
We’re running out of poses to do with Flor. Also, my skirt is running out of space. Someone should have pointed that out, pretty please!
We stayed for the raffle and celebrations. Girl Power!!! Men stink. Ok. We all kinda stunk a little at this point!
So, after the meetups and the finish line and the catching up slowed down and the park got quieter I headed to the Team in Training (my work!) Celebration Party. It was a lot of fun (andOMGfood!!).
Another year, another June, another Mini. Next year I better PR or someone is really gonna pay the price. Probably me, but whatever. And maybe I scare myself. If I had known last year, when I was on a PR roll for a few years, it’d take over a year, I probably would have gotten deppressed. But I am close. I am getting warmer. And I have a plan. My legs better watch out for this pace-smashing-race-tour I am foreseeing.
Right?
It could happen, right? Could it?!!?
Soon????
Ah, whatever, it was fun! 😉
Mini10K – We’re getting warmer
runningandthecity 