Race Report: Resolution Run 10K

I signed up for this race about mid-December.  I knew a few Get Fit peops were running, so I was excited.  Then I got sick.  Sick enough to head to the doctor.  I never go to the doctor.  Antibiotics and 2 decongestants were prescribed on the Monday prior to this race.  Fun.

This race was different than most races I run.  The start time was 12:00.  No need to get up at o'dark:thirty to be ready to go by a 7:30 start time.  I got to sleep in.  I ate oatmeal for breakfast.  Nonetheless, I failed to prepare the night before for this race - and was rushed to get out the door (while forgetting my race belt, gloves, water, and like three other items.)

We got to the race, got parked, picked up our numbers at registrations, visited the Johnny On The Spots, and then found some Get Fitters to huddle with.  It was cool enough (around 40 degrees) but the wind was a bear.  My husband's aunts and cousin found us and we chatted with them a bit prior to their need to stand in the sun.  Took some pictures.

Finally, it was time to go.  One of the girls in my pace group had her garmin (yet another thing forgotten) and a pretty solid race plan.  I told her I was going to stick with her as long as my coughing/sinus issues didn't get the best of me.  If I dropped back, please keep going and run her race.

Finally, we were off.  The first mile was good.  Like 9:30.  I started feeling some pressure in my chest.  By about 3/4 of the second mile, I started coughing/wheezing/struggling to breathe.  I dropped back.  From that point on it was run when I could, walk to cough/etc, run again.  Rinse.  Repeat.

At the 5K finish (the beginning of the 2nd loop for the 10K), I really struggled with taking a DNF.  I was really struggling mentally because I felt awful.  I gave myself a pep talk about how this was my "Resolution Run" - my commitment to start 2010 off on the right foot - and quitting was not my resolution.

I pushed on.  The miles were long.  At least one mile, I walked more than I ran.  But I finished.  1:11:13.

I've been coughing incessantly since the end of the race.  Probably not my smartest idea to even start this race, being 5 days into a 10 day course of antibiotics. 

Tomorrow's run is 12 miles.  I'm playing it by ear at this point.  I don't want to miss the long run, but if it sets me back on getting over my sick - then I'm worse off for doing it.

Happy New Year