Human Race 8K Race Report

>> Sunday, March 16, 2008

Pharmie and I ran the “Saint Patrick’s Day Human Race” 8K this afternoon. It was 32 degrees when we were getting ready to go, so we wore shorts! It’s a frickin’ heat wave! Here’s Pharmie getting laced up:



And here we are, all ready to go:



Here’s the weird part: we left our house 12 minutes before the start of the race and made it in PLENTY of time. The race started by the University of St. Thomas, so the starting line was 3/4 of a mile down the street from our house. We jogged down there to warm up, and were ready for the gun.

I had my usual 3 goals: what I KNEW I could do, what I HOPED I would do, and my CRAZY goal that would be something to shoot for. For this 8K (5 miles), I knew I could run it in 32 minutes, I hoped to break 31, and my crazy goal was to break 30 minutes. That would be 6-minute miles. I didn’t know how realistic my crazy goal was, but it’s always fun to dream.

Anyway, back at the starting line: Bang. We were off. I was farther back than I should have been, so I passed about 100 people in the first mile.

Mile 1: 6:27. Well, not as fast as I had hoped, but it was the first mile of battling through the crowds.

Mile 2: 6:03. Better, better...

Mile 3: 6:17. OK, so I’m not going to break 30 minutes, but I’m still gonna run my little butt off.

Mile 4: 6:09. Not bad. Just before mile 4, I started hurting. It was nice that the “mile 4 marker” was on a bit of a downhill, so I tried to use that momentum. My right side was tight and sore, which bummed me out because I’ve been SO GOOD at doing my core exercises lately. Anyway, I was hurting but moving good. I kept picking up the pace. I crossed the finish line at a nice (but painful) clip.

Mile 5: 5:30. Sweet.

Total: 30:28 (official time: 30:30)
Pace: 6:06/mile
Place: 121 out of 1033




Maybe the best “mini-victory” of the day was that no one passed me. Not a single runner. I was picking people off (faster at the beginning, and much slower near the end). But I was able to hold everyone off that I passed. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do that in the last half mile.

While I was in the large finishers chute area waiting for Pharmie, I ran into Josh, an old high school classmate. I hadn’t seen him since graduation, and I had heard that he was becoming a speedy runner (he was speedy in high school, but I heard he was getting faster and faster). He had placed 5th in 25:03. CRAZY!!



Josh and I parted ways, and I went to watch Pharmie finish. The announcer at the finish line was Gary, the president and founder of Charities Challenge who I had formally met at the “Race Up The Place” stair climb. We chatted as I waited for Pharmie. When I saw her, Gary handed me the microphone and told me to announce her finish. “Alright Sarah!! Way to go Sarah!!” She cracked a smile as she crossed the line.



Well, nothing more to do but to walk back home. It was SO WEIRD just walking to and from the event. We got home and I was hungry (what’s new). So I had 16 chicken nuggets...



...followed by 3 bowls of Wheaties.

Stay tuned for more news about how hairy I am. There’s a story I need to share with you all shortly about earlier this weekend... Thanks for reading!

34 comments:

J~Mom 11:17 PM, March 16, 2008  

Congrats on a great race!

triguyjt 11:21 PM, March 16, 2008  

you are insanely fast, but your old high school buddy is a speed freak...wow....

you hate his guts, don't you??

Donald 11:23 PM, March 16, 2008  

Great race - those are very fast cold-weather times. You'll be flying by summer.

Wedgie 12:19 AM, March 17, 2008  

But where's the lucky underwear?!

(oh no... so help me, I'm ASKING for underwear photos!)

Jessica 7:29 AM, March 17, 2008  

Congrats on another fantastic race, you're gong to rock Grandmas this summer!

Walking to the race is a fun feeling, I live next to Como Lake and love to run races there even though I am insanely sick of looping around that tiny lake!

I'm going to have to add this race to next year's calendar.

Marcy 7:43 AM, March 17, 2008  

Sweet job homies! I love the second pic. You guys look so cute together :-) Wow, I think that is the nicest/non disgusting thing I've ever said at your blog :P

libgyrl 8:04 AM, March 17, 2008  

Great work....hmmm...and post run fast food. I've recently learned the joy of drive thru fries after a 24 mile run.
-marie

Dana 8:08 AM, March 17, 2008  

Your pre & post-race meals always crack me up. Great time at the 8k & your old high school friend is WICKED fast!

Trigirl 8:55 AM, March 17, 2008  

Schoen means SHOE in Dutch. With a sporty name like that, no wonder your buddy is soooooooo fast.

Nice nuggets.

Ryan 8:59 AM, March 17, 2008  

There must me some sort of hair growing hormone in all of those chicken nuggets you eat.

Maybe you should change to free range grilled chicken strips, hormone free!

Anonymous,  9:42 AM, March 17, 2008  

Great race...both of you!!

What a cute, fast-running couple you make :)

E-Speed 10:27 AM, March 17, 2008  

great races for both of you! Man you picked it up a lot in that last mile!

Hope you have a fun st patricks day!

Nancy 10:33 AM, March 17, 2008  

Good night, you two are speedy. Only in my dreams....

Nice running!!!

the Dread Pirate Rackham 11:25 AM, March 17, 2008  

a heat wave? at 32? it's clearly a different world up there in minn-a-soda

you two are absurdly cute, with your his n hers matching run tops. good job, you guys are faaast!

GoBigGreen 11:30 AM, March 17, 2008  

Nice job you two. Dang are you really 25-29? Ah those were the days. We rode to Hastings. Only one who would'a passed you would'a been me, on my bike!

momo 11:48 AM, March 17, 2008  

one of these days i'd love to run three miles in 30:30. :-) way to go.

and that post race meal? my kids think you rock!

Brian 2:02 PM, March 17, 2008  

Insanely fast. We are opposites. I start fast and slow down the 30 seconds or more in the last mile.

Just don't shave the legs or they will be blindingly pasty.

greyhound 2:43 PM, March 17, 2008  

I have yet to see a "6" in the first digit of my race pace. Maybe, some day . . .

Bill Carter 5:02 PM, March 17, 2008  

Hi Steve

What did you do hit the afterburners for that 5th mile?? That is a great time and you should be really proud and BTW, you've got to love it when NOBODY passes you. Congrats again.

teacherwoman 6:33 PM, March 17, 2008  

Shorts? What? have the frozen temps fried your brains?!?! That's insane!

Nice job though!

ShirleyPerly 8:21 PM, March 17, 2008  

32 degrees = heat wave? I don't think so!

But great race and very cool to be able to just walk to the race. Seems like I get on a plane for most of mine :-P

Anne 8:59 PM, March 17, 2008  

Looks like your early foray into the FIRST method of marathon training isn't compromising your speed one bit. Nice job!

Kate 9:06 PM, March 17, 2008  

Yay! Rock on. You two did great. My husband adored your post race meal! 3 bowls of cereal is right up his alley ... after dinner.

Rainmaker 10:32 PM, March 17, 2008  

Congrats on rockin' it! Just a few more seconds and you'd have it sub-6 the whole way. :)

monica 12:04 AM, March 18, 2008  

nice job, the both of you!! i couldn't imagine a race where NOBODY passed me, but i gotta admit, you've out it in my head and made it a new goal for me.

oh, and um, no offense, but you and pharmie have an open invitation to come to cali to work on, um, YOUR TANS!!!

Lance Notstrong 11:19 AM, March 18, 2008  

Man, you've got some stiff competition up there!!! Great finishing time.

GP 2:55 PM, March 18, 2008  

Holy cow! Is there really anything else to say?

High five to both of you on great races.

RunBubbaRun 5:56 AM, March 19, 2008  

Dang, slow down so the rest of us can catch up to you.. Great job to the both of you..

16 nuggets, now that is some "trans fat" eating there.

Anniversary Moments 9:56 AM, March 19, 2008  

Great job on the run!! Your title should be Speed in a Speedo!

SingletrackJenny (formerly known as IronJenny) 8:36 PM, March 19, 2008  

I'm with momo- I'd be happy with 30:30 for a 5K...
;-)

Collin Kromke 2:30 PM, March 20, 2008  

Pace: 6:06/mile
Place: 121 out of 1033

Did you run with a bunch of cheetahs or what? I can't even do one mile in much under 9:00, so seeing that 120 people beat you when you ran a 6:06 pace just blows my mind.

I hear shaving your nuts makes you a few seconds faster. You should try it. Just don't post pics. :X

TriBoomer a.k.a. Brian 8:57 PM, March 24, 2008  

I can't hold 6:06 for one mile, let alone six. Great job!

Hey, drop me a line at TriBoomer@hotmail.com I have a favor to ask of you.

Stay tuned...

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