Erie 10-K race day experience (Updated)

Updated: 6 p.m.

Turns out I finished 7th in my age group out of 25 and 51st overall out of 257. I'll take it.

I also forgot to mention the very nice fleece blanket that was given to everyone who completed the Erie Runners Club Winter Series. That was finishing the Turkey Trot in November, New Year's Day 5-miler and today's race.


Original post:

After not running since Tuesday due to illness, I wasn't sure what to expect this morning at the Erie Runners Club St. Patrick's Day Distance Festival that included a 10-K and 5-K.

Some brave souls ran both races, such as my friends Heather and Dan Cass. I chose to just run the 10-K.

For the most part, the weather was the biggest factor for many runners and their results. The course was a 6.2-mile out-and-back loop. Most runners had strong runs for the first half of the race with strong gusty winds from Lake Erie at their back.

At the turn around point, just slightly before the 3-mile mark, runners then were faced with stiff winds that really did a number in sucking the energy out of you. Rain also started to come down during the last half of the race, nothing too hard, but enough to make it hard to see out of my glasses.

My first three mile splits were an average of about 7:10 per mile. But the last 3.2 miles were a different story. The average for the last portion of the race was 7:40 per mile. It's really hard to keep your pace when the wind is gusting around 30 mph on you.

Anyway, my overall time was 46:00 flat, which is a 7:25/mile pace. I finished 51st overall and not sure what place in my age group, but not high enough to win an award.

I'm pretty happy with everything considering the conditions. I've run faster than this in the past, for sure, but considering I just got over an illness and the weather wasn't great, it was a pretty good day.

At least I feel pretty healthy now.

When I see official results, I'll post a link to them.

Runners World Quote of the Day:

"I don't know how the creative process works, but it always seems, as I'm running...that thoughts start coming in; sentences start coming in."

Robert A. Caro, biographer

Happy running!

Lifting & GoErie.com

Got in my first strength training session in a while tonight. Nothing too heavy just light weights and high repetitions - meaning sets of 10 to 12.

I love to lift and it seems like once I'm back into it I feel great. Then all of a sudden I stop and that's it for months. Wish I could break the cycle.

After my lift, I got in a nice recovery 3-mile run to follow up after last night's hard tempo run. Nice and easy pace about 8:13/mile, but lots of sweat so that's good.

I'm getting fired up for the Turkey Trot in Erie, Pa., on Thanksgiving morning. Just hoping it's not a blizzard this year! If you'd like to register, click here.

Anyway, thanks for a plug for my new blog from Heather Cass, who authors the Runners Notes blog on www.goerie.com which is the Web site for the Erie Times-News. She also puts together the Her Times magazine, a must read publication designed for a female audience.

Heather is a personal friend and a very good runner and active member of the Erie Runners Club. I was pleasantly surprised to see she had mentioned this blog in one of her postings. Thanks again Heather.

Happy running!