Rhinebeck Mad Dash 10K Race Recap

The temperature wasn’t bad, a nice average 72 for late September but the humidity was 95% and the air was thick. I have asthma and there are two types of weather conditions that make it flare up. Extreme cold and extreme humidity. I knew this going into the race once I checked the forecast this morning, so I had some time to try and adjust my expectations but, it’s hard (at least for me) to race and not want to do my absolute best time-wise. Knowing I can run faster in better conditions always leaves me annoyed that I couldn’t do it this time. I’m working on that.

Packet pick-up ended at 8:15 but the 10K didn’t start until 9am so we had some time to hang around, use bathrooms and actually watch some of the 5K’ers finish.

The benefit of a small race? Check out that port-a-potty line! Just me. I thought it was funny Ulysses took a picture of this but it does epitomize every road race, doesn’t it?

About 10 minutes until the 10K start time I started to get worried there was no announcement for where the start was. There were no signs so I assumed there would be an announcement. Wrong. Thankfully, some other people had heard it was down the street and around the corner so I followed them and literally got to the crowd as soon as the race started, on a hill. That should have been my signal as to how hilly this course was going to be.

The first mile was actually mostly downhill and not bad at all. Mile 2 was somewhat flat but after that the “rolling hills” definitely started rolling and it felt like the corresponding downhills of every uphill were no where as long or steep.

I walked through the first water station (mostly because every time I try to run and drink, I choke) but quickly started running again. Come the second water station though somewhere in mile 3, I took a 15 second walk break and they just got progressively longer as the miles went on. I walked more during this race than I did the Palm Beach half last year. I would force myself up the hills (I ran every one) but then I’d get to the top and feel like I was going to die and have to walk for a bit. In retrospect, it probably would’ve been smarter to just walk a portion of the hills themselves and leave the flat terrain for running.

My splits were all over the place and definitely not my strongest but had I known the terrain better I think I would’ve both saved more of my energy in the first 2 miles and trained a bit more for the hills!

Splits according to the Garmin

• Mile 1: 7:57
• Mile 2: 8:30
• Mile 3: 8:49
• Mile 4: 9:18
• Mile 5: 9:13
• Mile 6: 8:56
• Mile 6-6.18: 1:19 (7:12 pace)

With about 3/4 of a mile left, I had stopped to walk at the top of the biggest hill of the course for about 5 seconds when a girl came up next to me and waved me on saying “come on!” I cannot thank her enough for that boost of motivation. I’ve never run a race when someone has actually encouraged me while running and it was the exact thing I needed at that moment. We ended up running side by side until the end and talking a bit. It was her first 10K too and she is training for the Philly half in a couple weeks. We were both saying how hilly the course was and how neither of us really train outside of flat terrain. I doubt she’ll find the blog but if for some reason she does, thank you Amanda!

Once I saw Ulysses about 1/4 mile from the finish line, I waved her on this time and we sprinted for the end.

I had honestly stopped looking at the time on the Garmin after about mile 3 when I saw a “9” in front of my pace. I don’t run 9 minute miles when training and I knew looking at it would only discourage me more. After setting what I thought to be an “easy” goal of 55 minutes, I was getting worried I might be pretty close to it by the end given all the walking I did so I tried to finish strong and fast. Once I rounded the corner to the finish, I saw the clock at just under 54:00 and made that my goal. My chip time ended up being 54:00 exactly for an average pace of 8:42.

It’s kind of weird to think I ran a 5 mile race 3 months ago at an 8:11 pace when yesterday’s was over 30 seconds slower per mile. While I know the hills + humidity were huge factors, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve gotten slower?

So, I have mixed emotions about the race. On one hand I’m happy to have finished, finished strong at that and to still have kept a respectable pace (for me). On the other hand, as I mentioned earlier, I’m slightly annoyed and frustrated that I know I could’ve done better had the weather been different and had I trained better for the actual course. I guess what it comes down to is 1. I can’t control the weather and 2. I can prepare better for the terrain. So I can own half of my frustration.

All in all though, it was a great Labor Day, I ran 6+ miles, made chocolate chip dough balls when we got home and ended the day visiting some friends and their newborn twins. I can’t complain.

What’s next on the race front? We’ll see…

Tell me the best thing about your weekend. I have a lot of reading to catch up on!

What’s your favorite race distance?