This was the 4th year for the Autism Speaks Texas
8K, but only my 3rd year running it.
last year they posted the date for the race fairly late, so I had
already planned my Oregon trip and didn’t get back into Texas until about 10pm
the day of the race. Thankfully, this
year, they posted the race day well in advance.
Memorial Day weekend!
I stopped on my way to work the Friday before the race to
pick up my packet at the Cedar Park Rogue Running location. I was on my way to work, so I was in uniform
and I think that flustered the guy that gave me packet just a smidge. Ha! Not
in a bad way, tho. Something new this
year was that they had men’s AND ladies’ cuts for the participant shirts! Woohoo!
I think I somehow missed that little tidbit when I was registering
because I selected a ladies’ medium. Oops. Not yet!
Thankfully, they were super awesome and allowed me to switch to a large
on the spot.
While looking through a bag, I found some over the knee
socks that are red, white and blue. Well,
since this race was on Memorial Day weekend, I had already decided to wear my
Team RWB shirt, so these socks would go fantastically with that! Top it with my Trail Racing Over Texas hat
that is colored red, white and blue as well and BOOM perfect running outfit for
a Memorial Day weekend race! Here’s my flat
runner.
I got up around 5:45am Sunday morning. I had snagged a sesame seed bagel at work
earlier in the week and set it aside in a way so that it wouldn’t get hard or
go stale. I toasted it, put a little
light spread on it, then some sweet’n’low and cinnamon. Yum! I
stopped and got an iced coffee on my drive to the race.
It had rained pretty hard Saturday night, but thankfully it
stopped a couple hours before the race, so there was no issue with water on the
course. The kids’ K (it was a mile)
happened at about 7:30. They waited
until the last kiddo crossed the finish line before the 8K kicked off. The 8K course is a double loop around the
Camp Mabry grounds. There are a couple
good sized hills. Thankfully, before
both uphills, there are downhills.
The first mile, I was cruising along with everyone
else. I clocked in at the 1 mile mark in
9:28. I knew while running that mile
that I was going faster than I could sustain for 5 miles. I did rein it in a bit at about the half mile
mark because I was going closer to 9:00 for the first half mile. Someday I’ll be able to do 9:00 or faster
miles for 5 miles, but that time is not now.
Heck, my overall marathon goal time requires I run an 8:30 or faster for
26.2 miles. Eek! Anyway, that has nothing to do with this
race. Haha!
My second mile was slightly more conservative at 9:46. Then I slowed down a little more than I wanted
to and miles 3 and 4 were 10:03 and 10:05.
I kicked it on the last almost mile and finished it in 9:10! Very, very happy with that finish. My official time was 48:24.7 minutes, but was
only good enough for 12th in my age group. One day I will finish top 3 in my age
group. Maybe in 2 years when I bump up
to the next age group? Goals, yo! I am very happy to report, though, that in
2013 I finished this race in 50:53, then slowed down for the 2014 race with a
finish time of 53:24. Soooo…this is a
new PR!!! WOOHOO!!!! So far this year, I have PR’ed the 5K, the
10K, the marathon and now the 8K!
After the race, I logged another 3.6 miles on the post track
that is 1 mile long.
And, as always, they have free downloadable race photos for
all participants!
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