Springmaid Splash 10k

I ran my third running race today - the Springmaid Splash 10k. I don't have too much to say about it but will try to say a little, I suppose...

Last night I got to bed way too late once again and the 5am wake up the race required really hurt. So I was tired before we even started. I ran into Nick Kindt who was running his first race and we chatted for a bit before the start. It started with an impossibly flat stretch that was only highlighted by two trips across the South Toe River. It was fun splashing through and after the last crossing we finally started climbing. The single track was more like double track and it seemed to criss cross and zig zag across just a few hundred or so acres. There were some rolling sections over a couple of hills that found me suffering on the downhills and then when it couldn't get any worse it went flat again for the last two miles.

I'm not good at flat. I move quickly up mountains and can hobble down them okay but flat is just down right painful to me. I was feeling the lack of sleep and exhaustion that built up during the long week after the Wild100 and wasn't having a particularly good time. My hip flexors started to really bother me but with a mile to go to the finish I tried to turn on the gas and finish in under an hour but I didn't have anything left in the tank and came in right at 1:02. I did manage to 'run' the entire course, including the river crossings, but walking some would have probably been a better idea and likely would not have lost me any time. Nick managed to do it in 57 and change!

So yeah, not particularly fun but its over now. I hope Shut In goes better than that!