Changing Leaves Changing Lives 10k Race Recap 10.22.11
There were a number of races around Charlotte Saturday morning but I had kind of set my sights on the Changing Leaves Change Lives 10k at Mc Alpine. The race met a number of the things on my requirements list: early start 7:30, flat course – based on the map the course was flat, and close home – only a 30 minute drive time.
You might have guessed it; things didn't work out exactly that way.
As many of you know, I like to recon the course before a race. This being a 10k, I was not up for a full 6 miles of warm up so Megan, Ben, and I covered the last 3 miles. Pretty much the course was as we expected until we came by the McAlpine hill. The map showed the course passing by the hill but the marking on the course sent us up the hill. But hey, what can I say. The course is the course. I don't like have a nice nasty hill at 6 miles of 10k, but everyone else has to run it too.
Registration was slow getting off the ground as can be expected with any first time race. They were doing their best. It was dark at 6:30 when registration opened.
We finish our warm up and I had about 10 minutes before the 10k starts. I hustled back to my car to change clothes and shoes.
Back across the bridge and I headed to the 10k start.
Queen City Timing was doing the timing for the event. But strangely, I didn't see them anywhere. We learned that their truck had broken down on the way to the race. So things were being delayed.
I talked with one of the ladies with the race to see what the plan was. She told me they were going to start the race shortly and would refund anyone's entry fee that wanted it because of all the issues they were having. She then asked I was still going to run. I smiled back – "yes, of course". If they were going have the race, I wanted to run and that I didn't want my entry fee back.
First time races always have some rocky waters to cross before the smooth water starts. This was not my first "first time race" so I put the distractions aside and moved on.
The 10k start was delayed about 30 minutes which under normal conditions wouldn't have been too bad. But with my hamstring hurting, it was just enough time for it to cool down and tighten up. I kept trying to jog in place and flex it with only minimal success.
So we are standing around waiting the start of 10k and Ben is talking about how fast he was going to run the first mile. Something about, he plans to run 6:30 for the first mile. Not sure if my face showed it, but mentally, I am thinking "used car salesman".
They give us the countdown and Ben shoots out from the start. Kris and Megan fall in right behind. My hamstring is balking like you wouldn't believe. We pass under Monroe road, Ben's already pulling away. I pass Kris and am following Megan. She tells me that I am not allowed to draft and drops the pace – opening probably 10 meters on me. Who me, draft off of someone – really, the thought never entered my mind. LOL.
I realized right away Hamstring "1" running any harder "0" so I focused trying to get it to relax.
My first mile is 6:04. Megan is maybe 10 seconds in front. Ben is, well, Ben is too far for me to calculate. That's when I set a goal for myself. I know we have the out and back section to Margret Wallace Road so I will try to make that junction before Ben finishes it.
We continue and make the right turn to loop through lower Boyce as it is drawn on the map. Yet, another surprise awaits me here. We are not doing lower Boyce but upper Boyce. I turn left heading up the hill with my hamstring screaming loudly in protest.
Mile 2 is covered in 6:29. Back out of the woods on the main path I knock down a 6:14 3rd mile and 6:22 4th mile. Mile 5 out and back is 6:28 and Mile 6 is 6:17.
Yes, I did achieve my goal but just barely. Ben was coming back to the bridge before the main path just as I was crossing the Bridge.
Megan was a good distance a head me and I was a short distance ahead of Kris.
I endured the final hill and headed for the finish: 41:03.
My garmin measured the course at 6.5 miles which probably wasn't too far off.
Looking at the race, I was happy and dejected. My hamstring got me through the race but time was disappointing.
Megan, Ben, and I went for a cool down run afterwards. And, you guessed it the topic of conversation was the course. We were all surprised with the little detour on to upper Boyce. I really didn't want to go around through upper Boyce. If I could have, I would have skipped all of the hills.
Definitely, this race hit a few bumps in the road, but still, they made the best of it. Everyone had a good time. I got what I wanted out of it. They raised some money for a good cause. In the end, is there anything else that is really important?
By the way, the results listed the 5th runner as unknown but it was Butch.
Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner
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