MLK Trail run 10k (1/19/2015) - finally, they got it right!

Welp, we came back for a third year and it looks like the third time is a charm.  This year, they the Metro Run and Walk race had a 10k option that was going to be officially scored but the 5k was not.  Why, I have no f-ing clue.  It wouldn't of been that difficult but hey I am lucky they had a 10k option.  Race was in Wakefield Park in Annandale, VA as it is every year.  Both races were to go off at 9am so we got up around 6am, ate my usual which is raisin bread and justin's nutbutter.  Then we were out the door at 7am to get there and pick up our bibs and shit.  So after we get there, Heather grabs the bibs and shirts while I snap a selfie of me and the kids crapping around in the car.

In the car goofing around before the 10k!

A few minutes later, I see Juan Tisera, a fellow runner I met a couple of years ago at the North Face 50k.  Anyhey, I get out and get in about .5 miles in before the race.  The temps were about 38 to start which was nice.  I went with my #trailsRoc t-shirt compliments of Ron Heerkens who lives up in NY and belongs to that running group.  So the time arrives and we walk down to the start and I get up by the front as I don't want to get behind a bunch a people when we hit the single track trail section.  So we are off and I notice right away this is going to be a fucking sloppy mess with no footing, ice, and mud.  That said, I kept a 7:34 pace on the first mile, how I don't know because I felt like I was running much harder.  The second mile brought us back to almost where we started but we would be heading out to the Accotink Trail.  My 2nd miles was not good with a 8:02 - yea, it wasn't going to be a good day.  At this point, a 35 yo woman passed me which by the way was the only person to actually pass me during the race which is usually the case on single track trails.  However the Accotink Trail was actually quite wide, plenty of room for passing.  So I essentially ran with/behind her the whole way.  Mile three didn't have the muddy hills and leveled out and ran that at a 7:43 pace.  Now we were into the meat of the Trail and was it half done.  However, I could definitely feel the 4-5 lbs I had put on since December.  Mile 4 wasn't to bad as I had a sub-8 with a 7:59.  Mile 5 had us coming back to the start and coming off the Assotink Trail.  I did notice as this point that Mountain bikers were having trouble getting up some of the hills because of the ice and mud.  Anyway, mile 5 had me at 8:17....Coming into mile 6 I passed the woman who originally passed me at mile 6 which tells me I could of run the race much harder but was probably too conservative...Given that its January, I just didn't want to get hurt and I think that was the mindset of everyone out there.  I finished mile 6 with a 7:28 mile to give me 1st in my Age Group (40-49) with a final time of:  47:05:8.   I was very surprised to place in anything because I had run so poorly but I was 1/19 in the 40-49 age group and 15th out of 67 in the mens division for the 10k.  It turns out that its a new PR for me since I have only ran two 10k's since I started running!  Here is a shot of me coming down the home stretch:

Finishing with a time of 47:05 (7:35 pace)

Another shot of me coming in from further out.

We hung around a while and I was surprised to find out that I placed first in my age group:

First in the 40-49 AG.

Of course, all of us were covered in mud:

Just a little bit of mud...

I have no idea where this was, maybe at the end, not sure!

Final Stats:

Distance:  6.2 miles (10k)
Time:  47:05:8
Pace:  7:35/mile - sucked :)
Place:  1st in age group (1/19 in 40-49 and 15th out of 67 in the mens)
Location:  Wakefield Park/Assotink Trail
Who ran:  JD the 10k, Nic, Heather, and Zach the 5k
Conditions:  Mud and ice (sloppy)
Bathroom rating:  One toilet for 100+ people, you do the math.  Although I have had plenty of practice crapping in the woods so I am used to the situation by now!

Overall, they have improved alot and would recommend to others as long as they have an official timing company.  Maybe next year they can score the 5k's as well but doubt it.  Whats next?  Keep building my base and training by adding in hill work.   I do have the Cherry blossom 10 miler on April 12th - shooting for a sub 70 minute run as my best time there is 1:13 and change.   Next signed up run is the Glacier Ridge 50k near New Castle, PA in May.  I have the Mohican 50 miler in June and am really looking forward to that.  However, I may add in a marathon in March but don't know.  Next to work on getting my right hip flexor figured out.