Charlotte 10 Miler Recap
February has been a busy month so far for me so I am playing
catch up with my blog postings. Please bear with me while I get caught up over the
next couple of weeks.
Going back to a couple of weeks to the Charlotte 10 miler,
what can I say? I came around the corner to the finish, looked up at the finish
clock, and seeing my time made real how bad my race had gone.
I went into this race thinking new course and possibly
better course, but from the start, I attempted to shift up through the gear box
only to find myself feeling like I was stuck in 2nd gear.
My legs wouldn’t turn over during the first mile. Granted
this mile was slightly uphill, but they didn’t do much better in the 2nd
mile which has the steep downhill.
I managed to hold my own on the greenway but the short climb
off the greenway to Johnston Rd was followed by even longer climb on Johnston
Rd. I never realized how long this hill was. Of course, running it in the first
mile vs. the forth mile makes a bit more of a difference.
Cresting this hill, I looked forward to the long downhill
jaunt back to the greenway. We entered off the Pineville/Matthews Rd. The
coarse picks up with a dirt mile followed by the paved path to the finish.
Along about 7 and half miles, we took a brief break from the
greenway to make up some distance in a side neighborhood.
One the stories going around about the coarse change had to
do with the big hill in 8 mile being gone. Let’s just say, the hill isn’t gone.
They just moved it and in my opinion made it steeper.
What I can say is the gravity feed downhill last mile is
gone which probably hurts the most. I know I counted on it to pull back some
time. Now, what is left is an honest finish.
I finished 30th overall, 1st in 50-54
age group with a time of 63:47. Not one of my banner efforts
I have already marked my calendar for this event next year.
Even though, I will be another year older, I still think that I can better my
63:47 time.
Happy Trails,
The Cool Down Runner
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