Waterloo 10k - Race Report

Race: Waterloo Oktoberfest 10k

Date: Sunday, October 17, 2010

Location: Downtown Waterloo, population 121,700.

Weather: sunny,  8°C (46°F),  28 kph (19 mph) winds from the North West

Scheduled Start Time: 9:30

Runner: Andrew Opala

Information: 45, Male, 260 lbs.

Race Week Prep:

Thought I would take my cellphone with me, a hand-held bottle of water and music in the week before the race, but the bottle was dropped from the list when they said there would be 3 water stations on the course.  Then music dropped because I recall my experience from the 5k where is was as much of a distraction as an aid, and the phone dropped from the list race morning when I jogged a bit with it in my shirt-back pocket and realized I didn't want to hold it nor have it bounce around at the back.  OMG I thought, now all I have to do is run!!!

Race Day:

Was a little less nervous for this race at start time - did some drills (quick feet, goose step, butt kicks/high heels, high knees) and jogged for about 1/2 k at around 8:45.  My wife left the start area to drive 15 minutes to the finish area before it was closed to cars, so it was me alone in the running universe for an hour of waiting!!!! (Peed 4 times in honor of the occasion.)

There were over 1700 sign-ups for the combined start of the 10k and 5k race.  10k racers had orange flared bib numbers and orange ribbons pinned to the back of their shirts. It was a mass start with two separate routes to the joint finish line deviating at about he 4k mark.  While I stood in the pack I thought of my wife and how great it will be to hug hear at the end, my deceased parents, my family, Jill my coach, Adrienne who said she would pray for me at Church, EMZ and number 161, everyone who was sending me "rock it" and "you'll do awesome", and those running in the Toronto and Denver Marathons.  I felt so great knowing how much my life had changed in the last 5 months!!!  Since I felt this was a training run I didn't want to have a lot of people from the family here so my wife and I had a Sunday morning date.

Start:

I started near the back of the pack - the race was going to be fast up front (at least twice as fast as I could run) so I chose to run in a group running near my speed.  The first 1/4 mile was wonderful.  With no music to distract me, I heard the gentle tapping of hundreds of feet as people jockied the turns from the Conestoga Mall onto King street and under the parkway bridge.  I was jogging with the pack and was running sub-6-min-ks(sub-10-min-miles).  The feeling was exhilarating - I had killed a lot of the panic breathing with my warm-up and the body was performing!!!!. The first 3 miles put me in advance of schedule below my 7 min k (11 min mile) pace.  At about the 1 1/2 k (1 mi) mark people began to settle in to small talk.  I could hear very loud music coming from some people's ear plugs!

From mile 3 to mile 4 was a 70 foot climb, but it was complicated by a 28 kilometer per hour (19 mph) wind that would be our friend for nearly the rest of the race.  At the 4 mile mark I was just faster than my pace that my coach and I had chosen.  There was a very pleasant down hill at mile 4 that gave me a burst of energy and confidence, but where I should have had a complete mile of consistent striding I slowed down for water.  

The views were wonderful, the last part of the run was through an old residential neighborhood of early 1900s homes with old mature trees, and lots of yellow and red maple leaves rustling on the road and lawns.  The volunteers really kept us going at each turn and intersection cheering us on and clapping.  That looked more tiring than what I was doing.  We went through the campuses of the Universities of Waterloo, and Wilfred Laurier.

Making the final turns ... there was a simple climb to the finish line and then a sudden burst of that wind again.  I wanted to run faster - really.  But I had no energy left!  None.  I was even passed by someone in their final kick (wearing lulu lemon!).

Chip time: 1:09:45, beating my training PR (set one month ago) by 5 minutes.

I'm finisher 671:
http://www.chiptimeresults.com/resultsreader.php?y=2010&r=oktoberfestL.htm

I was pretty much last in my AG, sex and weight groups - and I'm very happy!

Post Race:

There was a rock band, fruits, bagels, hot dogs, pizza, soup and lots of water and sport drinks for participants and cheering squads!

Key Lessons:

• managing  a race and running it according to plan maximizes results
• driving performance through uncomfortable times can only be done with desire and an eye on the goal
• trust your coach, trust your training follow the Ω-logo-wearing runners

Thanks for your support.  Having those messages pop up on my blackberry while I was getting ready for the run was great!