Xenman
The Bloomsday 12K is one of the largest foot races in the
country. There was something like 42,000 registrants this
year, down from a peak of over 60,000 back in the mid 1990s.
When you consider that the entry fee is only $10, the race
becomes even more attractive. Not only is it a big race, it
is extremely well organized.
The weather on race day, Sunday May 2nd, was pretty good.
Slightly warm for a super fast time, but the thin clouds
helped keep down the heat. Temperature at race start was
about 60F.
I was lucky enough to have qualified for what they call
Senior Seed. This enabled me to start near the front of one
of the starting lines. The elite and invited runners start
at the front of a different starting line.
My goal for the race was to requalify for next year's
Senior Seed (53:00). My goal two weeks earlier was 51:00,
but an intestinal bug 10 days before the race tempered my
ambition. My plan we to avoid starting out too fast and the
reach the 5 mile mark, near the bottom of "the hill" in
34:00, with the first mile in 6:40 and second mile, down a
hill, in 6:30.
The first mile was pretty flat. Starting in the
Second/Senior Seed area was nice. In prevous races I would
spend the first
1.5 miles dodging other people. This time the crowd was mid
race density even in the first 1/4 mile. I noticed the
guy that started next to me was only a few yards in
front. All during the first mile I kept on saying to
myself, "don't go too fast", and I deliberately slowed
down a couple of times.
Right before the first mile ended, the first downhill
section starts. It's gradual at first, but gets steeper
later one. Too steep to really go fast if you want to. In
this mile I had to tell myself to relax and not fight
gravity, which is so easy to do going down a steep hill. A
couple hundred yards before the end of the second mile is a
short by steep up hill second that ends a little past the 2
mile mark.
The third mile was mostly a long gradual up hill section,
that gets moderately steep for a 100 yards or so. It's
definitely steep enough that you'll notice a yourself
getting slower. Halfway up this hill I notice that guy
again, and again he's only 10 yards in front of me. By now
we're almost back to our starting elevation.
The 4th mile is mostly flat running along Spokane Fall
Community College and Ft. Wright College. The fifth mile
starts out flat and then heads down hill to the Spokane
River. Once again I try to let gravity do the work and I
start passing a bunch of people. (I've discovered that's
the secret of running down hills, resisting the natural
urge to fight gravity.) About 200 yards from 5 mile mark,
I'm at the bottom.
Now it's time to go up "Doomsday Hill" (their name not
mine). The hill's about 7/10 mile long and is pretty steep.
I come thought the 5 mile mark at almost 10 seconds ahead of
target. I deliberately make the decision then and there to
not run the hill very fast. In fact I even walk for about 5
seconds about half way up. I reason that this will give me
more energy for the last 2 miles. Lot's of people pass me
including that guy I've been noticing. After all, I'm
feeling pretty good and I'm ahead of target. So what if I
drop 30 places now.
When I finally reach the top and start on the flat, my legs
are feeling pretty dead, but I notice that no one is passing
me. I figure they're at least as tired as I am, or probably
more so. The 6 mile mark come and I'm still under 7
minute mile pace, but not much under. (7:04 pace means
53:00 finish.)
There's a mile and a half left so it's time to settle back
into a decent pace. I notice that I now slowing passing
people. It's pretty flat all the way to the finish. The
seven mile marker comes and I realized that I've slowed
down. That means it's time it pick up the pace. That's also
when I notice that same guy about 10 yards in front and to
the right. I pass some guy at least 25 years younger than I
and he says some words of encouragement. I say "thanks". I
resist the urge to kick it up an notch, just wanting to
finish strong. As I'm about cross the finish line, I catch
"that other guy".
My splits were:
6:39 06:39
7:27 13:06
8:15 20:20
9:52 27:12
10:39 33:51
11:01 41:52
12:59 48:51
13:09 52:00 (7.46 miles)
In looking back I could have run that hill about 30 seconds
faster. But because I didn't run it hard, I should have run
the 7th mile about 10 seconds faster.
After the race, the T-shirt pickup was about two blocks
away, and the corporate cup tent, accessible by second and
senior seed runners, was full of runners getting a message.
(Second/Senior Seed also requires a $12 fee.) I wish they
had food other than pizza at the corporate cup tent (will
they ever make lactose free pizza?). One hour later I was
showered and in my car headed out of town.
Overall, it was a great race. I encourage all to give it a
try. Spokane is a nice city with the most beautiful downtown
park you'll every find. The city goes all out for the race
and visitors are highly welcome. There's lots of good golf
and other outdoor recreation nearby.
country. There was something like 42,000 registrants this
year, down from a peak of over 60,000 back in the mid 1990s.
When you consider that the entry fee is only $10, the race
becomes even more attractive. Not only is it a big race, it
is extremely well organized.
The weather on race day, Sunday May 2nd, was pretty good.
Slightly warm for a super fast time, but the thin clouds
helped keep down the heat. Temperature at race start was
about 60F.
I was lucky enough to have qualified for what they call
Senior Seed. This enabled me to start near the front of one
of the starting lines. The elite and invited runners start
at the front of a different starting line.
My goal for the race was to requalify for next year's
Senior Seed (53:00). My goal two weeks earlier was 51:00,
but an intestinal bug 10 days before the race tempered my
ambition. My plan we to avoid starting out too fast and the
reach the 5 mile mark, near the bottom of "the hill" in
34:00, with the first mile in 6:40 and second mile, down a
hill, in 6:30.
The first mile was pretty flat. Starting in the
Second/Senior Seed area was nice. In prevous races I would
spend the first
1.5 miles dodging other people. This time the crowd was mid
race density even in the first 1/4 mile. I noticed the
guy that started next to me was only a few yards in
front. All during the first mile I kept on saying to
myself, "don't go too fast", and I deliberately slowed
down a couple of times.
Right before the first mile ended, the first downhill
section starts. It's gradual at first, but gets steeper
later one. Too steep to really go fast if you want to. In
this mile I had to tell myself to relax and not fight
gravity, which is so easy to do going down a steep hill. A
couple hundred yards before the end of the second mile is a
short by steep up hill second that ends a little past the 2
mile mark.
The third mile was mostly a long gradual up hill section,
that gets moderately steep for a 100 yards or so. It's
definitely steep enough that you'll notice a yourself
getting slower. Halfway up this hill I notice that guy
again, and again he's only 10 yards in front of me. By now
we're almost back to our starting elevation.
The 4th mile is mostly flat running along Spokane Fall
Community College and Ft. Wright College. The fifth mile
starts out flat and then heads down hill to the Spokane
River. Once again I try to let gravity do the work and I
start passing a bunch of people. (I've discovered that's
the secret of running down hills, resisting the natural
urge to fight gravity.) About 200 yards from 5 mile mark,
I'm at the bottom.
Now it's time to go up "Doomsday Hill" (their name not
mine). The hill's about 7/10 mile long and is pretty steep.
I come thought the 5 mile mark at almost 10 seconds ahead of
target. I deliberately make the decision then and there to
not run the hill very fast. In fact I even walk for about 5
seconds about half way up. I reason that this will give me
more energy for the last 2 miles. Lot's of people pass me
including that guy I've been noticing. After all, I'm
feeling pretty good and I'm ahead of target. So what if I
drop 30 places now.
When I finally reach the top and start on the flat, my legs
are feeling pretty dead, but I notice that no one is passing
me. I figure they're at least as tired as I am, or probably
more so. The 6 mile mark come and I'm still under 7
minute mile pace, but not much under. (7:04 pace means
53:00 finish.)
There's a mile and a half left so it's time to settle back
into a decent pace. I notice that I now slowing passing
people. It's pretty flat all the way to the finish. The
seven mile marker comes and I realized that I've slowed
down. That means it's time it pick up the pace. That's also
when I notice that same guy about 10 yards in front and to
the right. I pass some guy at least 25 years younger than I
and he says some words of encouragement. I say "thanks". I
resist the urge to kick it up an notch, just wanting to
finish strong. As I'm about cross the finish line, I catch
"that other guy".
My splits were:
6:39 06:39
7:27 13:06
8:15 20:20
9:52 27:12
10:39 33:51
11:01 41:52
12:59 48:51
13:09 52:00 (7.46 miles)
In looking back I could have run that hill about 30 seconds
faster. But because I didn't run it hard, I should have run
the 7th mile about 10 seconds faster.
After the race, the T-shirt pickup was about two blocks
away, and the corporate cup tent, accessible by second and
senior seed runners, was full of runners getting a message.
(Second/Senior Seed also requires a $12 fee.) I wish they
had food other than pizza at the corporate cup tent (will
they ever make lactose free pizza?). One hour later I was
showered and in my car headed out of town.
Overall, it was a great race. I encourage all to give it a
try. Spokane is a nice city with the most beautiful downtown
park you'll every find. The city goes all out for the race
and visitors are highly welcome. There's lots of good golf
and other outdoor recreation nearby.
