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Race Result
| Racer: |
Holly Gannoe |
| Race: |
Cherry Blossom 10 Miler |
| Date: |
Sunday, April 4, 2004 |
| Location: |
Washington, DC |
| Race Type: |
Run - 10 mile |
| Age Group: |
Female 30 - 34 |
| Time: |
2:07:22 |
| Comment: |
RR: Cherry Blossom 10 Miler |
Race Report:
Executive Summary
Final Chip Time: 2:07:22
General Observations: Who turned on the wind machine on the Arlington Cemetery Memorial Bridge?
Dead Sightings: Johanna and Lindley from NJ and John Faith and Sharon. Great Coffee and even better company!
Lessons Learned: Just because you know you can make it through a 10 mile run on limited training doesn't necessarily mean that you should.
Newly established Rule to live by: I will NEVER sign up for a road race on the first weekend in April on the East Coast anywhere north of South Carolina again.
The rest of the story:
I hardly have the energy to walk, let alone type so this will be remarkably brief. The expo was great! Met some of my girls and we went and picked up our t-shirts and got some lunch at the Capitol City Brewery. Good time had by all! Later in the day, I met some DEADS for coffee. I was great to see John Faith and Johanna again. I met Johanna's husband Lindley, whom I briefly ran with in Tibmerman 1/2 IM (turns out he was the man with the red, white and blue shirt that I focused on for a few miles) and I met Sharon who told great stories of Ironman Brazil.
Race day started windy and raining but by the time my friend Carolyn and I got on the metro, the skies were clearing and it looked like there was potential for a beautiful race day. Little did we know that the clearing skies were happening because a pending 30+ MPH wind was blowing into town. The bag check in lines were long and ridiculous and I had to use the port-o-jons desperately so we missed being in the crowds for the race start but luckily your race doesn't start until the chip crosses the mat.
Observations of the race by mile:
Mile 1 - Tidal Basin in April .. beautiful! Tail wind - even more beautiful
Mile 2 - Would you look at those front runners ... my god, they are practically naked!
Mile 3 - Who in gods name turned on the wind machine? I am going to get blown backwards off the Memorial Bridge
Mile 4 - TAILWIND ..... ugh ... crosswinds ... ahh Kennedy Center blocking wind
Mile 5 - Headwinds, Rock Creek Park and Carolyn's comment: Do you think that is just rain from before blowing off the trees?
Mile 6 - 1/2 mile to the turn around ... resorted to run 5/ walk 1/just get done (darn rain)
**Tailwind Entire 3 miles**
Mile 7 - Held the balls for the running juggler while he put his jacket back on ... that man is amazing and pretty nice too.
Mile 8 - Note to self: I can to anything for 24 more minutes
Mile 9 - Okay ... One minute walk and then run it in ... all the way....
Finished the race only losing my hat to the tailwinds twice. Picked up a muffin and some water, my post race treat. Lost my hat to the 30+ MPH wind gusts again and my darling boyfriend Jim (who came to watch the finish and brought news of the snow he saw as he crossed the bridge earlier) chased my hat down (because I was DONE RUNNING!). The day culminated with the LONGEST 1 mile walk ever in 30+ wind gust across the Potomac and Memorial Bridge to the Metro and a long hot soaking in the tub followed by some sausage and mushroom pizza and fruit punch Gatorade.
I will not race in April again ... even if promised a hot bath, pizza and gatorade.
My race season has begun ... all be it a little slowly.. unless you count the wind. <smile>
Holly G. in Arlington, VA
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