Alaska 10K Classic 2013 – Race Recap

After setting a new PR in every distance last summer, I was skeptical that I could get any faster, but I’ve surprised myself this summer and have continued to set new PRs. Can’t complain about that; it definitely feels good.

Saturday I ran the Alaska 10K Classic in Anchorage. And even though I’ve been having good workouts with paces I have never run before, I still had doubts I would be able to PR.

I arrived 45 minutes early to do my routine warm-up and get my game face on. (I also made sure to use the bathroom before this race!)I jogged for a while, did some striders and plyometrics, static stretching, and retied my shoes so they were super snug and double knotted. 

Then it was time to get lined up which is when I start eyeballing my competition. I know I often psych myself out because I either see people who have beaten me before or just by looking at them, I know they will be fast. (Although that is not always the case.) But I tell myself I have probably trained more than 95% of these people. (I mean, come on, I don’t know many people who run 80+ miles every week.)

The race started at Alaska Pacific University and continued down the Coastal Trail to the downtown Park Strip. One thing that is great about this course is that it is almost all slightly downhill. Can’t complain about that. From the beginning I felt really strong. My GPS wasn’t picking up a good signal, so I listed to my body and tried to find a pace I could maintain for 6 miles.

Craig being my paparazzi at mile 2.5. (He really is my paparazzi—seeing he took 125 pictures from this event alone.)

I didn’t have a very good idea on my pace throughout the race because the whole trail is shaded with trees and prevents a good GPS signal from being picked. So instead I went by how I felt, which is not a bad thing. I also tried to gauge my pace off the mile markers.

Actually, speaking of the mile markers and signs throughout the course, I have to give kudos to the race course set-up team because this course was very well marked. Two weeks ago when I ran the Her Tern Half-Marathon race recap, there was one point where I didn’t know which path to take and thought I was going to get lost. (Other runners said the same thing.) But this course had a ton of signs along the trial and there were markings on the trail as well. It was much appreciated!

At the half-way point, I crossed in 20 minutes and a little bit of change. I thought if I could pick it up a little bit, I would be able to break 40 minutes. But without a good GSP signal, I wasn’t sure how hard to push, so I had to go off what my body was telling me.

Craig was there again at mile 4.5 taking my picture. I gave him two thumbs up to let him know I was feeling good and shouldn’t have any problems PRing.   

I continued to push through the to end and actually passed THREE girls during the last half mile. I never pass any girls that close to the end.

In the end, I didn’t end up breaking 40 minutes, but I did break my PR by a minute and a half. (Just realized this clock does not match my official results.)

What a great run, and I can’t complain about 6th overall for the females.

After the race, I stood around and people-watched. (Isn’t that the greatest?) Someone even came up to meand said they read my blog. I believe it was you, Angel–>I hope I got that right!Official results: