2010 norfolk pub 10 miler: race report

i worked on this report (which was planned as a short recap) a handful of times since saturday, but was repeatedly overtaken by christmas week events - a final exam (and the attendant grading) for my undergrad students, a couple of client meeting to execute documents, a christmas tree, christmas lights (inside and out), and our office holiday lunch (this year, at les halles downtown). it's been a busy, but fun (except for the grading) stretch. the only negative was the increasingly ice box-like conditions for running. it's been a brutal slog logging the miles this week.

by now it seems that the norfolk pub 10 miler is a distant memory. this is one of my favorite 10 milers - and one of my favorite race distances at that. it was my 3rd norfolk pub in 2 years (with 2009 seeing one race in january (the postponed 2008 edition) and one in december). it's a tough, hilly course - ignoring the usually freezer-like weather conditions that somehow manage to arrive for race day (and a hometown logo that's apt, "norfolk: the icebox of connecticut").

my times up there have been pretty inconsistent: 1:20, 1:15, and 1:25 (this time around). i had a time goal of 1:20 in mind on the drive up with emmy. an 8:00 pace was about the best i could push - and even that was too optimistic. instead, the race morphed into a long training run. i found myself walking up all the major hills (basically three) and running the rest. rather than that 1:20 i envisioned, i didn't break 1:25 (finishing in 1:25:10).

i wasn't disappointed because, when the running was all said and done, there was some great post-race socializing at the pub. one of the best perks of this old school event (low fee, no shirt, tough course) was the beer each runner was entitled to for trading in his bib tag! todd (who was running his first norfolk pub 10 miler), emmy, lyn, and i had a great time at sitting at the bar drinking berkshire pale ales! and, an even brighter spot was the $20 emmy won for taking first in her age group!

for the record, here are my splits:

7:41
9:30 17:12
8:18 25:30
8:24 33:54
8:01 41:55
8:02 49:58
8:10 58:09
10:37 1:08:46
7:25 1:16:11
8:58 1:25:10

8:31 pace

on a technical level, i wore my road shoes for the race. i should have gone with trail shoes because there was plenty of snow (and some ice) on the dirt roads. while it didn't make a too much of a difference this time around, trail shoes would have made a positive difference racing the course.

the next day, switching gears and regions, i went to fairfield for the annual holiday run for toys 5k. i managed to pick up the pace on the nice, flat loop course (with about a mile run on trails) for a 23:26, 7:30 pace.

a couple of days later, tuesday, i did a 10 mile training run (via the post road where the hills aren't an issue). with no walking breaks, i ran a comfortable 1:22, which made me smile at the stark contrast between relative effort for the two 10 mile distances :D

here are my 2010 race photos