Where I grew up, there are bears. We always joke around that you don't really have to be able to run faster than the bear; you only have to be able to run faster than the person who is with you. Since I normally run alone, I have nobody to run faster than, so I am in trouble. However, luckily, yesterday I had a partner to run with, so I have at least a 50 percent chance of survival if a bear comes. I ran with Broski in his first race ever.
However, it IS only a 50% chance...
...Because Broski rocked it! He would have just as good a chance to outrun the bear as I would!
We ran the YMCA Harvest 10k in Santa Rosa, which was a very small race (my favorite!) The volunteers were great, the route was a fun run through the local neighborhood, the crowd was easy going and the post race celebration was fun. Even the local junior high cross country came out and raced. Also, Broski's girlfriend and her sister came out and did the accompanying 5k! It was a family affair!
Broski's goal was to run under a 9 minute mile the whole time. He has a fancy new Garmin which he can set at a certain pace and it will tell him whether or not he needs to speed up or slow down. However, as we started out, we realized that we may not need to use it. We started out a bit faster than planned and I tried to warn him to slow down but he said he felt good and that he would let me know if he needed to slow down. So, we kept at it. We stayed around that pace the whole time, even while running up and down a few rolling hills. We did slow a little bit on mile 5, but only by about 10 seconds. We even talked most of the time. Or maybe I talked and he grunted from time to time.
Before we knew it, we were at the 6 mile mark and we could see the finish line in sight. I asked Broski if he wanted to sprint it out and he said yes. What a good sport. So we got to the 6 mile cone and started booking it. It was really funny because we started sprinting and the crowd was laughing at us and cheering us on. Then I saw a lady coming up next to me on my left (Bro was on my right) and she was keeping up with us! It was hard to keep up the pace but we ended up sprinting the entire way (about 400m) and I think the lady ended up beating us by a millisecond! She was fast! Our last 400 meters was run at about a 6 minute per mile pace! I couldn't keep that up any longer though. Phew!
* Our mile splits were: 8:08, 8:08, 8:18, 8:15, 8:22, 7:45.
* We ended up as #45 (48:58) and #46 (49:00) out of 196 participants (with an average of 7:54/mi)
So, like I said, Broski underestimated himself. It looks like we have a new runner in the running community! I have to admit, I didn't push him at all. I can't even take credit for his speed; he did it all on his own; I was just there to be company for him. He is excited about his time and the race overall, even though he said after that sprint at the end he felt like throwing up in the bushes!
Next up: a Half Marathon!
Have you totally underestimated yourself on something? Have you ever run so hard you felt a little ill?
However, it IS only a 50% chance...
...Because Broski rocked it! He would have just as good a chance to outrun the bear as I would!
We ran the YMCA Harvest 10k in Santa Rosa, which was a very small race (my favorite!) The volunteers were great, the route was a fun run through the local neighborhood, the crowd was easy going and the post race celebration was fun. Even the local junior high cross country came out and raced. Also, Broski's girlfriend and her sister came out and did the accompanying 5k! It was a family affair!
 |
| Trying to show our #s! It was chilly at first! |
Broski's goal was to run under a 9 minute mile the whole time. He has a fancy new Garmin which he can set at a certain pace and it will tell him whether or not he needs to speed up or slow down. However, as we started out, we realized that we may not need to use it. We started out a bit faster than planned and I tried to warn him to slow down but he said he felt good and that he would let me know if he needed to slow down. So, we kept at it. We stayed around that pace the whole time, even while running up and down a few rolling hills. We did slow a little bit on mile 5, but only by about 10 seconds. We even talked most of the time. Or maybe I talked and he grunted from time to time.
Before we knew it, we were at the 6 mile mark and we could see the finish line in sight. I asked Broski if he wanted to sprint it out and he said yes. What a good sport. So we got to the 6 mile cone and started booking it. It was really funny because we started sprinting and the crowd was laughing at us and cheering us on. Then I saw a lady coming up next to me on my left (Bro was on my right) and she was keeping up with us! It was hard to keep up the pace but we ended up sprinting the entire way (about 400m) and I think the lady ended up beating us by a millisecond! She was fast! Our last 400 meters was run at about a 6 minute per mile pace! I couldn't keep that up any longer though. Phew!
* Our mile splits were: 8:08, 8:08, 8:18, 8:15, 8:22, 7:45.
* We ended up as #45 (48:58) and #46 (49:00) out of 196 participants (with an average of 7:54/mi)
So, like I said, Broski underestimated himself. It looks like we have a new runner in the running community! I have to admit, I didn't push him at all. I can't even take credit for his speed; he did it all on his own; I was just there to be company for him. He is excited about his time and the race overall, even though he said after that sprint at the end he felt like throwing up in the bushes!
Next up: a Half Marathon!
Have you totally underestimated yourself on something? Have you ever run so hard you felt a little ill?
Wow, just a tad under a 9 minute pace, huh? :) Congrats to the both of you!
ReplyDeleteJill always tells me that if I don't feel like I'm going to hurl at the finish then I didn't work hard enough!!! Congrats to Broski...he'll need to fine tune his sprint to get away from the bear!
ReplyDeletefun story. looking forward to following Broski's progress. :)
ReplyDeleteGood for him! I'm sure he loved having you there to push him. It will be interesting to see where he goes from here!
ReplyDeleteWow that is awesome! you all did great and yes its amazing how we underestimate ourselves until we have an awesome person to show us our potential!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome! You guys ran it way faster than you thought! I'm sure having you with him helped him keep his pace:) Yes, I have felt like puking in the bushes after a race before. Ugh! I guess that means you gave it your all right?! I underestimated myself when I PR'd my half in June. I planned to run it slower since I knew there were some hills, but I surprised myself and rocked it! Love it when that happens:)
ReplyDeleteYou guys are freaking speedsters! I'm so impressed with your brother's newfound running abilities. Congrats on an awesome race!
ReplyDeleteWow! He needs to keep running! Congrats to both of you! I hope to have an experience like this with my sister. She's going to be much better than I am--just need to convince her of that.
ReplyDeleteNice work! I have to say, running is clearly in your genes!! Seriously! Well done, broski!
ReplyDeleteYes, I have ran so hard I felt ill. I have puked at 2 10 mile races (Cherry Blossom and the one we did last fall). Granted, I was sick for the 2nd one, so that might have had somethign to do with the puking. Ick. I haven't puked at a race since and hope I don't ever again!!
I love that joke about the bears - I learned a similar one about mountain lions in the Southern California backcountry. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd great job - to both you and your brother - on the sprint finish!
That is amazing! Well done!! Can't wait to see how the half goes!! :)
ReplyDeleteWay to go! Can you come train me? ;)
ReplyDeleteI've never run so hard I felt ill, but I have worked hard in boot camps where I've had to take breaks because they work me so hard I feel like I'm going to pass out. It's not fun at all!
Awesome race!! Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteI love that you sprinted to the end. Even if you puke after crossing the finish line, there's something so liberating about giving it your all in those last few hundred yards!
ReplyDeleteHe did awesome! You must be so proud of him... and that is an impressive final sprint. I'm excited for you with your half!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome fast! Nice going... I have been feeling like hurling at the end of my last couple of runs so I guess Jill would think I am running fast enough! hahsaa
ReplyDeleteWe have that saying about the bears here too, but it ends with ' you only have to run faster than 1 other person in your group ' which is the same thing if there are only 2 of you! Funny.
The half marathon.. is that for Broski or for your or both?
Great job to you both. especially pushing hard at then end! I usually feel a lot like vomiting at the end of short fast races like that, in fact I have lots of dry heaving finish pictures :)
ReplyDeleteI usually run by myself so I just hope that in the event there is a bear, my dog would protect me. HA!
Speedy running runs in your family, pun intended! Congratulations to you and your brother on the 10K! How did his girlfriend and her sister do with the 5K
ReplyDelete