Carlisle Summer Fair 10K

*Warning*

I write really long race recaps, because I enjoy reliving my feelings from that day.

Feel Free to read my new Abridged version at the end

I found out about the Carlisle Summerfair Free 10K from my running friend Jodi, who is just the nicest runner I know IRL, and gave me all the info I needed at the last minute. This is her blog, you need to check it out!

I wasn't sure that we were doing the 10K, because if my Zumba place was open, there was no way I was missing that! But the news came on Monday Morning that AIMF would be closed for Holiday Weekend. (Reducing my zumba sessions to 14 now... because I'm counting).

Cost : Free
Goodies: None

We pre-registered and emailed our forms 3 days before. And trained for it with doing short sprints in the local park.

We left for the race early in the morning on Saturday, we were up at 6:00 am, but spent a lot of time just goofing off and laughing. It was way too early on a Saturday to be serious about anything. So we arrived at the start line later than we wanted to. The race was to start at 8:00 am, and we arrived at 7:35am. Roger was getting irritated with me, because I was ready to park the car and not return to it, but he still needed to put on sunblock and drink more of his Gu, and use the bathrooms.

Roger at the start line

 

So we did all of that and went to find the bathrooms, which were about a half mile away from the start line. We used the "run" back as our warm up, because we were running short in time.
 

 

The Race started promptly at 8:00 am. With the 5K and the 10K taking off together. Which I didn't realize, until more than half of the crowd went to the right and the 10K group stayed to the left.
 

If I had to guess, I would say there were 200 runners at this race

 

Ready to start

 

The Race

 

I was not at all feeling the first 2 miles, I just was not into it. But I kept telling myself that I had done the distance before, and that I could handle the rest of it.

We did one loop through a neighborhood behind one of the main streets in Carlisle, then we went to the back neighborhoods. The 5K crowd joined us again as they were coming to the end of their race. And the 10K had another loop in the neighborhood. The course was mostly flat, with an elevation gain of 50 feet max.

I was running behind Michelle and Jodi from the River Runners and the Fleet Feet Group. I have run with those two amazing ladies so many times, but we had never raced side to side. I waved bye when I passed Michelle around mile 4.

I had my GPS watch on, but didn't want to look at it at all. I wanted to keep running by feeling and by the music in my MP3 player. And of course, around mile 5, I started to sing to myself. There was a lady who kept passing me, then I would pass her, she wasn't wearing headphones, and I didn't want to torture her with my loud singing.

I could still see Jodi about .25 miles ahead of me, and kept thinking that she was going to beat her 10K time, and that maybe I would finish right behind her. I know Jodi is a very strong runner and I admire how hard she runs.

There was a strange rubbing under my right toe and could also feel a small rock spinning around my sneakers. It felt like a blister, but I didn't stop to check it. There was no point to.

Around 5.80, I saw Jodi stop, and part of me wanted to stop and ask her if she was ok, but part of me just wanted to be done with the running and get water, also my stomach was starting to growl at me telling me it needed pancakes SOON! 

I ran past Jodi as I shouted and mumbled an out of breath "You got this!" more like whispered it, because my breathing was rough by this point. To which she shouted "Hey Ana! how are you?" and I responded "I'm a little out breath at the moment, but ask me again in 10 minutes". She said "Me too!". I shouted back "Come on Jodi, we have to finish this so we can go get pancakes!". I heard her laughing, or maybe that was the woman who kept passing me.

I passed the lady with the black tank top right after passing Jodi, and started sprinting, and then after the turn around the corner, started my full sprints when I saw the finish line. I had trained for this and I had the energy to finish super strong.

The clock said 52.30, but my Garmin said 52.22.

After crossing the finish line, I immediately went over to get water, I had 4 cups then went to wait for Roger to finish. His goal was 55 minutes, which would shaving 16 minutes from his best time. So he would have been right behind me.

Roger crossed the finish line at 1:05.01 Beating his old time by 6 minutes.

It was then that I went out of Race mode and m blister really started to hurt, I considered taking off my socks and shoes, but thinking of taking off my sock was not a happy thought, so I saved it for when we got back to the car.

The River Runners did an After the Race picture that I joined, because I am part of the Facebook group AND I've run with at least 5 River Runners.

While waiting around Jodi asked me what I was training for, and I told her I had wanted to do the Philadelphia Marathon in the fall, but that I didn't sign up and now prices were out of my reach. She said that she is training for an ultra, and said that maybe we should do the ultra together, because it's only $70.... I said that I would consider it.  

Roger insisted on waiting around for the awards, and we did wait. But it was taking a long time for those to get going, and he kept saying he was cold. I said that there was no way I had placed on anything, and that we needed to go, because I was hungry and wanted to take off my shoes and socks and fix up the blister. So we headed out and went to get our second breakfast.

The eggs at the Carlisle Diner were Excellent

 

and so was the French toast

 

Coffee was ok

This was all my food.... I was really hungry.

While I was waiting for Roger to use the bathroom before heading home, I check Facebook to post the RR picture, and saw a message from Jodi saying that I got first place of our age group, and that she had my medal. But, as I said at the Kennett Run recap, I can't claim an AG until the medal is in my hand. I asked her if she got second, she said that she got 3rd. I was very excited for her.

This race was no frills, no extra stuff, just show up, get a big and run. It was very enjoyable! I hope to do it again next year.

 

Abridged Race Recap

The race was small, very well organized. I ran at the same pace the entire race, except the last mile. The course was flat. I got a blister. I passed my running friend Jodi, who is awesome. I finished the race at 52.22, Roger finished at 1:05.01. We both did better time than our last 10K. We had an awesome big breakfast.

Your turn

What is your favorite post race food? I prefer breakfast when it's still available.
Do you ever break into a song during a race?