Blind Samurai Race Report Vol.1 - CRC Fall Classic 10K Run

It's October and the Blind Samurai is getting ready for running season again! This is one of my favorite times of year. so to celebrate, I did the Fall Classic 10K run this morning.

The alarm went off at 5:30 AM and I rolled out of bed. First thing I did was check the weather. According toweather.com it was 69 deg, and drizzling. What? It's almost Thanksgiving! 69 deg at 6AM! Should be an interesting 10K. If anyone out there recalls, last year was the inaugural running of the Fall Classic 10K. However, last year it was really cold and rainy instead of warm and rainy - pick your poison. The Charlottesville Running Company folks put on a nice race again, as they usually do. Just like last year a group of pros (out of North Carolina?) showed up and dominated the race - not sure exactly what the winning time was yet, but I would guess it was in low very low 30s. Anyway, here's how the Blind Samurai made out. Splits are estimates from memory as my watch is circa 1988 & has no memory.

Mile 1 - 5:35 The first quarter mile is uphill right from the get go as you leave the start line from in front of the Charlottesville Running Company and turn right up Market St. The rest of mile 1 is flat to down hill. Probably out too fast, breathing is maybe heavy then I would like, but I'm feeling fairly decent through the first mile. The elite group of 5 men is about 30 seconds ahead. I am ticked in behind the group of 4 elite women. Although I use the term "tucked in" very loosely as they are approximately half my size.

Mile 2 - 11:20 Given that this mile is all downhill, you can see that Mile 1 was way too fast. I realize this as I see my split. Oh well. The next 4.2 is going to hurt big time! Yay! The 4 elite women are slowly pulling away from me and I am in a bit of no man's land along with two other runners.

Mile 3 - 17:15 This is interesting, that is the fastest I've ever covered 3 miles (and based on pacing, I will guess the first time I have ever gone sub 18 in a 5K). The route has turned off Market St and we're now running along the paved portion of the Rivanna Trail. Beautiful run, if you haven't been along this stretech, you are missing out.

Mile 4 - 23:20 OK. Now it's cut check time. First mile over 6 minutes. This mile finishes off the paced trail and then turns up toward River Rd. The 4 mile marker is at the base of a very steep climb up River Rd. This ought to be really fun! The two runners I had been going with extend a lead and I'm now pretty much on my own.

Mile 5 - 29:55 I hate that hill. I hate that hill. I hate that hill. Yup that one hurt. The hill starting mile 4 is quite short, but very, very steep. That plus my complete lack of disciplined pacing at the start results in a pretty painful 6:30 mile. Once up the hill, I'm just trying to keep it together and recover a little but. Basically trying to hold on until the finish. No one has passed me since midway through mile 3 those two runners ahead continue to extend their lead, I see little chance that I will catch them.

Mile 6 - 36:00 The rollers coming back down Locust Ave are taking their toll. At the end of Locust we drop down on Market Street and the go back up the hill on Market. This is like being on a damn roller coaster! Then we're turning on to the mall and I can taste the finish. I glance behind me and don't see the next runner, so now it's just a matter of finishing as strong as possible.

10K - 37:20 Done! Yay! PR by roughly 1 minute. Nice. Tired.

Hope everyone else who came out for the race had a great day!