Race Report: Detroit Turkey Trot 10k

Ahhh, here I sit enjoying an ice-cold orange sunkist. Mmm...

Lately I've learned that I thoroughly enjoy the mouth-feel of soda, as opposed to that magnificent, yellowy flavor of Mountain Dew. I don't want to call it an addiction, as there were no caffeine headaches or mood-swings resultant of its absence, but my will-power tended to crumble when a craving came on for the bubbly stuff. Thankfully, I quickly learned that I only like the bubbles/flavor and can go w/o the added caffeine jolt.

On to more relevant things, though...

On Thanksgiving morning I participated in my first-ever Turkey Trot. Two years ago I intended to run it but realized the Wednesday night before, while at the bar, that I reaaaaally didn't want to wake up that early. Last year, after already registering and paying, I succumbed to a marathon-induced injury and was physically unable to participate. Third time's a charm? Well, while the saying "third time's a charm" is SUPER gay, it still seems relevant.

Going into the race, I had established a three-tiered goal system that was based completely on my training results to-date. Those goals were as follows:

(A) Goal - 52:42, an 8:30min/mile average
(B) Goal - 51:09, an 8:15min/mile average
(C) Goal - 49:36, an 8:00min/mile average

Although, in my head I wanted to break the 50-minute mark REAAAALLLLLY badly.

I ran a practice 10k about 3 weeks prior to the race in a light rain and hit about a 5:08 min/mile average, this without doing an ALL OUT sprint at the end, but more of a much quicker pace that last mile. That had me feeling great, but then I was in Michigan visiting family for the whole week prior to the race, in which my taper pretty much fell off the deep end. I got two runs in - one with a group who like to run slow, the other by myself which had me struggling to hold an 8:00min/mile over just a 3-mile tempo run! Uh oh.

The phone-alarm woke me up on race-morning (5 hours of sleep?) at about 5am to find it absolutely GUSHING rain outside, despite it being only 37 degrees. I got dressed, ate a banana and probably too much oatmeal and we all packed into the car for our 45 minute drive into Detroit from Ann Arbor (MI). It was still gushing by the time we got there, which was pretty much right on time for a quick bathroom break, a warm-up jog and then the race start. We detoured over to a nearby hotel where I used the bathroom, but for some reason the girls I was with felt they should just wait until we got to the conference center where everyone was meeting/taking shelter before the race started. This turned out to be a bad idea...

At first, we couldn't even find the bathrooms, but then, of course, the line was SUPER long just to use them. I checked my watch and all of a sudden it said the race was starting in just under 10 minutes... 5 blocks away. Whoops! I apologized to the girls (wife and her sister) for leaving them in the bathroom line and started working my way toward out of the building toward the starting line. After all, I planned to run a full 1:00 min/mile pace faster than they so no big deal.

I got about a 1/4 mile run warm-up before finding the starting line. Once there, not only had I missed the start of my wave (8-10 min/mile projected average), but I would be starting mid-stream with those planning to go even SLOWER than that. Craaaaap. I stopped briefly for a moment to start my Garmin and do a light stretch... then it was GO time!

The first 2 minutes of the race were hardly exciting. I walked... and walked... then walked some more. There were turkeys EVERYWHERE. Eventually a slow trot ensued wherein I started working my way toward the edge of the road, utilizing the sidewalk to make a few short bursts ahead, working my way toward what I hoped were less-crowded, quicker-paced groups. Eventually, around the 1-mile mark I was able to start settling into my 8:00 min/mile pace, although there were many occasions that had me speed-up, slow-down, dodge, weave, run into stranger, apologize, move on, repeat.

The first 3.1 miles were slower than I would have hoped, putting me on pace for around a 52+ minute finishing time, but it was completely understandable considering the slow start at the back of the pack. Moral was not helped by the cold temperatures and drenched left foot (stepped in a puddle, whoops!). Finally, though, close to mile-4, the road started to open up in front of me and I was able to run relatively unobstructed the rest of the way.

Also around the 4-mile mark, the rain had stopped and I suddenly found myself getting extremely warm. I then commenced with removing two hats, my gloves and a cycling wind/water resistant jacket and stuffing all of it down my running tights. Needless to say, I'm sure I looked pretty ridiculous. No matter though, because I was cooling down and ready to push it toward the finish.

While finding myself seeing 8:15min/mile or higher on the Garmin more often than anything else, I continued to push it thinking that perhaps I wasn't going to hit my goals. Never-the-less, I decided to give it my all the rest of the way and see what I could muster (not like I'd really change my strategy at this point anyway, right?... I mean, I'm not going to slow down so my choices are either a) go fast or b) go fast).

Some dude yelled "run down this hill to the finish," wherein I began upping the pace to the point where you have no control over your facial features. However, I couldn't see a finish-line anywhere. Lo and behold, the very poorly demarcated finish-line was just around the bend. I gave it hell and passed another multitude of "we're just out having fun" folk. I briefly considered extending my chest as I crossed the timing strip, but ultimately decided against it. However, I think it would be a hilarious finishing-chute picture for the average age-grouper.

The Results
Official Time: 50:11, 8:05 min/mile
Garmin Time: 50:38, 8:06 min/mile

 My Stats From The Race

BUT WAIT!!.. Also according to my Garmin, the course was long by 0.09 miles! 6.29 and not 6.2!! What does that mean for my times?!?!?


The Adjusted Results (I can do this, right??)
Official Time: 49:28, 7:59 min/mile
Garmin Time: 49:54, 8:03 min/mile

I trust my Garmin here for the more accurate distance/time results. A friend of mine also measured out the course and came to the *exact* same distance. So, with these adjusted results, I was able to slay 2 of my 3 goals, as well as my vanity goal!

 Myself, Elaine and Adie Post-Race

The Slayed Goals
(A) Goal - 52:43, 8:30 min/mile - SLAYED!!!!!
(B) Goal - 51:11, 8:15 min/mile - SLAYED!!!!!
(C) Goal - 49:36, 8:00 min/mile - ALMOST SLAYED...
50-Minute Mark - SLAYED!!!!!

The right knee was yelling at me for the next couple of days after the race, which was troubling... something I hadn't felt in months. HOWEVER, I've rested, strength-trained and are building the miles back up so I can get into serious training again. With training though, I'll need to set my sights on my next goal, which is still UNDECIDED. I'm definitely leaning toward the Nation's Half Marathon in Washington, DC on March 26th. BUUUUUUT, I'd really like to confidently set my half-marathon ultimate goal at an 8:00 min/mile. That's a tall order considering I (barely) missed that goal in only a 10k!

More on this in the next installment.