Frank Lloyd Wright Races

October 20, 2013

Second 10k - Frank Lloyd Wright Races

Oak Park, IL

Time: 1:06:53 Pace 10:46

Place 671/811 overall; 56/78 age; 315/406 female

As I rode my bike less than a mile to the starting line in the freeeeezing cold I thought this could be my last time riding and racing in Oak Park. I love racing but sometimes the getting up early and tavelling forever to get there is anoying. Being able to stick my keys in the little key pocket in my running pants and heading out the door is so awesome.

As I was stretching with the aide of a tree I saw a dude in the same Superman socks as I was wearing!!!!

I felt good and my foot wasn't in too much pain. I started the race appropriately with Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly." As always I started over to the right but quickly remembered that because my right leg is slightly shorter (new discovery) I need to be running on the left. Many of the streets in the OP are curved in the middle and slanted towards the curb. The slant helps with the leg issue. So I had to make my way through the crowd over to the left. Thankfully, the water stops were on both sides of the street.

Thank you Oak Park people for coming out of your houses so early in the morning to cheer on EVERYONE and not just those you know. Two kids were carrying signs that said "hit here to recharge" above a picture of a round bulls eye target. It was so cute. One dude with a giant DJ table set up was playing music and talking to the runners on his mic. I loved all of it!

I'm now at the point where I can go out and run and not have to stop. I went over 4.5 miles a few days before the race and stopped twice for water and once for half a block. To reduce injury though, my plan was to stop and walk for 60 seconds at each mile marker. I ran the first mile in 9:58...uh-oh. I needed to slow it down. I had 5 more of those to go. I was very happy with my overall pace of 10:46 which included five 60 second walking breaks.

With my stellar speed I was running in a large crowd and as far as I know I was the first to walk. The crowd started to thin out and I grew fearful that I was the last one running. Around mile 4.5 I decided to take a look behind me. Whew! I saw tons of people! Then soon people started walking more and more and I was passing a bunch of runners. woo hoo! I had to tell myself to ignore the folks passing me the first half but then I gave myself to get excited about passing others the second half.

After the race I got a free chair massage and a disgusting pancake breakfast in the high school cafeteria.

So that was it...possibly my last race in the beautiful town of Oak Park.