Race Report: FunFest Run by the Bay 10K

I don't generally plan to do running races, except for the half marathons and a turkey trot over the fall/winter months, but sometimes it's nice to run a supported race for a long run on Saturday morning.  I get to run with others, there's hydration on the course, and I generally run somewhere different.  It's nice way to break the monotony. :)

Friday night was a rough night though.  At around 1:30 am I woke up vomiting clear stuff.  Ugh... even to think about it still makes me want to gag.  It wasn't fun.  I was up until 3:30ish, then must have finally fallen back asleep.  I woke real tired and groggy.  Suffice it to say I did not have my race day BuZzZz going.  :(

Until the rough night, I was looking forward to this run because I had been making good progress and I wanted to see what I could pull off (even after a full week of 70.3 training).  I tried to remain positive, knowing I didn't feel quite as badly.  I knew I'd have to change my mindset and go for it.   I headed out and saw some tri club friends there and that made me forget about how cruddy I was feeling, so that's a plus!

I had never been to this location before, so I was looking forward to running someplace new.  The race started and ended in a park, but took you along Skyline Dr. out to the dike.  I thought it humorous that they billed this race as a "..scenic run through Bay Street Park and along the waters of the Gulf. Feel the cool gulf breeze..."  I'm here to tell you, there was nothing that resembled a breeze.  It was terribly hot and humid...  exactly how it's supposed to be on the Gulf Coast in June.  Ugh!

I had a cup of coffee, tried to eat something before I left, but really couldn't. I drank a 32 oz. bottle of water from the time I got up until the race start. I stupidly didn't bring my own water bottle (there were water stops darn near every mile though) but they started running out of water on the back half -- even before all the fast people hit the last aid station, I heard!


On the start I took off with everyone.  I got swept up in everyone's pace so I had a great first mile!  LOL  That always happens!! Miles 1 and 2 were great, with no walkbreaks... Mile 3 I took one quick one on a long uphill; so as to not to let my HR get away from me.

Then came Mile 4:  I was overcome with that feeling of nausea.  Gah!  I tried to keep going but I think I took at least a full a minute walk through an aid station.  By mile 5, I started to feel a little better, and mile 6 was only faster because there was long downhill and I could see the finish!  LOL

Mile 1  11:46
Mile 2 13:24
Mile 3 13:27
Mile 4 14:35
Mile 5 13:30
Mile 6 12:50

So, while I know I can do better, I'm pretty pleased. I couldn't control being sick, but I certainly did have control over my own hydration and should have brought a bottle with me.  My goal is to be able to run at a fast enough pace to make it from aid-station to aid-station for my next half marathon.  I only want to carry a small bottle of nutrition.  I hate the belt and I always find a way to ditch it!

But... even feeling sick and having issues at mile 4, I still PR'd my 10K time by 3 minutes with a 1:21