RACE: Space Coast Classic @1:17:46 (PR), Windover Farms, Melbourne, FL

After the first night of the TM D84 Conference and the subsequent hospitality room, I get home and into bed by 1:30am. A mere five hours later, I'm up and getting dressed, for a race -- the Space Coast Classic 15K, the second event in the Space Coast Runners Runner-of-the-Year series.

I went into the race with one goal: to finish. I had attempted the same race four years ago but posted a DNF after I was pulled from the race it was suggested that I quit the race for not being able to run straight and stay on the road (I went out too fast) -- anyways, no hard feelings. And with the decline of my running abilities due to injury and relaxed training, I knew that I could still declare a PR if I just... finished. And in case there were more than three people in my age group, I decided to run with a Hawaiian shirt and hope to be in the top 3 of that category then we were running.

...Did I catch you off-guard? That's how the race start was. The stakes were low for me, and I found the quiet start somewhat charming. The weather was cool and a little numbing, which reminded me of my first marathon -- it was good weather. But a 15K is not a short race. It's 9.3 miles, or if you're running... say 8:20.61 per mile pace... it comes to 1 hour, 17 minutes, and 46 seconds on the course. Temperatures could and did change. It got a little warm, especially when it felt like we were forever running into the sun (EAST!). I managed maybe 5-6 miles fine, then after had to resort to frequent walk breaks; granted, it was a smidgen embarrassing when people I knew passed me, but I smiled, cheered them on, and focused on my goal.

Anyways, I finished. And looking through my race records, I found a 10-miler in 2006 that I did in less time than the 15K this morning (and even then, I could've fit in another mile). But I took the sense of accomplishment I felt after the 15K as a testament of my evolution as a runner, and as a member of the running community.

I enjoyed the post-race camaraderie and festive atmosphere at the neighborhood pavilion (nice job, Cyndi), and headed back to take pics of the Youth Races but found out I was too slow and had missed them (dah). Anyways, I should've just headed home to get ready for the Saturday afternoon session of the Toastmaster Conference but I stayed till the end of the awards.

It didn't take long afterwards to hear my left food scream -- I really probably should've run the 15K but I'm stubborn, and I had to limp my way around the conference that evening (taking Sunday off to ice and rest it). And having signed up for the OUC (early December), I have to reconsider running Deland (may still walk it).

Anyways, that's the report. I forgot to take sweaty ceddy jumping pics and didn't take a full-body pic of the [alleged] horror show that was what I was wearing after the race. Okay, now some pics:

The Venue


Potion Pics (horror show pt. 1 on left)


A Couple Group Pics


Results


Awards


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UPDATE: Here's a course map I borrowed from http://amilauf.blogspot.com/. I saw that I made it onto her blog-roll. You ROCK Kerstin! :)