And, just like that, with the inaugural Hot Dash 10 Mile, my 2015 season is off and running.
This was my first running race in about 18 months. Funny how quickly you forget that level of suffering… a completely different kind compared to triathlon. A whole lotta ouchie (my hammies! I hurt worse after this race than IMWI).
My race strategy was to get comfortable with the uncomfortable – coach told me to just let it rip – which is exactly what I did. I more or less turned off my brain during the race, only really paying attention when my 920 beeped mile splits – where did those times come from?! – to ask myself how I felt and to occasionally make sure the speedy Mill City Running ladies were within sight (because I knew it’d be a good day if I could keep up with them).
Nick and I arrived in northeast Minneapolis about 30 minutes before 9a start. Parking was a cinch, and I did a quick warm-up run to the porta potties and back to the car to meet him and Sonia, who was also racing. We lined up with about five minutes ’til start, and after an anticlimactic on your marks, get set, GO!, we were off, the soft pitter patter of 2,600 feet running down Marshall Street for a tour of northeast.
After a bit a weaving around folks the first half-mile or so, I settled in the low 7:00s, legs feeling great. It was fairly windy the first four miles until the first turn, but after that, smooth sailing along the mighty Mississippi. We lucked out with the weather, too; the first day in months it was warm enough to run sans down jacket!
By the time I reached the Stone Arch Bridge around mile nine… OMG. I’m dying, I said through a smile to Nick, my super Sherpa who was there taking photos. And, the last half-mile along St. Anthony Main… a beautiful finish line, but running on cobbles isn’t the easiest when your legs are trashed!
All in all, a fantastic race! Kudos to Twin Cities in Motion for yet another well organized race (this organization is the BEST). And, thanks to my super rad team for the support… xo, Coeur Sports and Osmo Nutrition (had my first preload of the season before this race)! Someone please remind me after every race to drink a gallon of Osmo active 😉
official results | 1:11:33, 7:10 pace, 3rd AG (35-39F), 17th OA woman.
Garmin 920 splits: 7:14 / 7:08 / 7:07 / 7:06 / 7:03 / 7:06 / 7:08 / 7:05 / 6:53 / 6:51
I should note that even though this was the game plan coach and I discussed, I wasn’t positive I could pull off 7s, let alone drop the pace the last two miles, because all of my running has been 9:00+ pace the past four months. I only started speed work about a month ago! Running often and running easy is key, people! #slowisthenewfast
44 Comments
So awesome!! Congrats, speedy lady! What a great way to start the season!
Thanks so much, Steph!
Love!! Excited for you about the rest of the season!! 😉
Thank you, Sarah!
Sounds like everything fell into place for a great race-congrats! Too bad your recovery was a bit bumpy-a good learning experience.
You’d think I’d know by now to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! 😉 Thanks so much, Amy!
Way to go speedy!! Congratulations on kicking your 2015 season off in style!! You are a ROCKSTAR and an inspiration!! Running races are a totally different beast than triathlon. When I race a running event, I am quickly reminded why I love triathlon so much!! 🙂
They ARE! I’d rather do an IM any day 😉 Thanks much, Kecia!
Walking on the treadmill at 3.6 to 3.9 this morning I was thinking…..OMG, Erin ran for 10 miles at more than double my pace!!!! HOW do you do it???? I guess you ARE a LOT younger than me……
Haha! That and lots and lots of training 🙂 Thank you, Mom! <3 Glad you're on the treadmill! Maybe we should run a 5k together?!
Congrats Erin! Strong work! I have mostly heard great things about the Hot Dash this year, which makes me want to do it next year! Those cobblestones are tough though 🙂
I saw your comment about where to run in Mpls- if you want to share where to run in Apple Valley that would be awesome!
Yes, definitely run it next year, Jessie! TCM always puts on such great races.
I run really boring routes in AV, but perhaps Nick and I can pull together some for you 🙂 He’s a little more adventurous with his AV running!
congrats on a great race! #slowisthenewfast is my new favorite hashtag.
It’s a goodie, right?! 🙂 Thanks much, Kristin!
Well done!! With your low heart rate training, how much volume did you do? Right now, I have about two runs a week around 35-45 minutes and I don’t feel like its enough to make any difference.
Thanks, Michele! I just started wearing a HR monitor again, but solely to look at the data after (if I look at it while running, it makes me panicky). My max weekly mileage the past few months just got up to 35 miles, and I run often… six days a week with a double run on Sunday 🙂 Nearly all of my runs are 9:00+ pace, too. Happy to answer any other questions, too… just let me know!
Congratulations, Erin!
Thanks so much, Hyedi! xo.
Congrats! Way to start out on a strong note!
Many thanks, lady!
Good Job! and Yay for race season 🙂
Yay for race season is right! Thanks, Elizabeth!
Awesome race!! Way to kick off the 2015 season!!! IMCDA here you come!!! So excited for things to come this year!!!
I can’t tell you how excited I am for CdA, Leslie! Thank you!
You were smokin’! Yeah, I was totally shocked last year when, after running slow for 2 months, I managed to pull off a very-speedy-for-me half marathon. My coach always says, “Pay now to play later!”. Running slow does seem like you are “paying”, but it is effective!
You’re so right… it does seem like paying! Running slow is sometimes even harder than running fast, isn’t it?! Effective for sure, though. Thanks much, Kristina! I hope your training is going well!
Woot woot! Slowing down to speed up does really work!
That pace is smokin’ but hot damn those last two miles! Way to put in the work and reap the reward girl.
It sure does! Thanks so much, Alisa! Hope you’re well 🙂 xo.
SO awesome – you crushed it!! Congrats! I want to hear more about your training regimen sometime. I need to figure out a plan and get my butt in gear 🙂
Yes! Let’s get something on the calendar asap, lady. Thank you!
Whoa! Speed racer! Way to go Erin!! Love those last 2 miles. Great start to the season. And love the comment about #slowisthenewfast… haha hoping I can channel my slow running into that sort of speed soon 🙂
Those last two miles were painful 😉 Don’t give up on running slow… it works! Thanks so much, Kelsey!
Congratulations on a great first race of the season! Those splits are awesome!! (And funny that your hamstrings were more sore after this race!)
At this rate, you’re going to kill it in CdA! Hope your recovery has gone well!
It’s take a few days, but finally almost feeling back to normal today. Super excited for CdA! Thanks so much, Abby! Hope you’re feeling better and better each day and loving mommyhood 🙂
Way to go, speedster!!! I love your training mentality and consistency. I watch as every week you put in the work and effort along “your” route (it should seriously be named for you on strava) at a comfortable pace. I think a lot of people believe that you have to run fast all the time to be fast – but your training demonstrates that patience, resistance, and consistency pays off ten fold. Way to go out strong in your first race of the season!!!
Ha! That route! I run it so much because it’s where I feel safest (the other routes from our house aren’t as residential or well-lit and are closer to interstate) 🙂 Consistency and mentality… both are so important when it comes to IM training. Heck, I think they apply to everyday life, too! Thanks so much, Kristen! I hope you’re doing well! Super excited to follow you along your journey this year 🙂 xo.
Way to go! Your racing year is off to an amazing start!
Thanks so much, lady!
Congrats Erin!! You’re super fast, way to go on the PR!!!
Thank you so much, Sara! How was your 13.1 this weekend?!
Fantastic race Erin!!! Those splits are enviable! I can get into high 7’s, but that’s going all out, downhill. I’m all about #slowisthenewfast: it’s how I do all my training. Everything is done at steady pace now, and I get great results from it. It’s also a Mark Sisson Primal Blueprint key as well 😉
Slow is the new fast FTW! Glad you’re getting results, too, my friend! (So sorry for the way delayed response… OMG!) Thank you!
What a phenomenal way to start your season off!!! Speed demon! I totally agree about running slow and often. that’s what helped me too! I’m excited to see what this season has in store for you… IMCda is getting so close and you are going to crush it:) !
Waaaaaay belated reply, but thank you, my friend! Hope your Vineman training is going well! xo.