The Great Duck Race 10K

This is a fun little race in Stuttgart Arkansas Duck capitol of the World. Kim and I did this race last year and although I struggled through the whole thing it was a good experience and I was looking forward to running it again this year. Cheryl was going to do it with us as well. Turns out that Kim and Cheryl decided against running in the cold.

We did have a nice little group going.

Rock,Brenda,Kelly,Robert,Joan,Toni,Susan,Sonja,Jennifer, and myself. Susan from Benton and her wonderful husband Chasen also came for the race. It is always a pleasure to see the two of them!!

Rock and I rode to Stuttgart with Kelly and Robert. Arland is still injured so he wasn't able to come to the race.

It was a nice ride and the time passed very quickly and before you know it we were there.
It was SO cold this morning 34degrees and cloudy. I wore capri tights a long sleeve technical shirt and my Cabot Cruiser singlet. I was a bit dissapointed to realize I was the only one wearing the Cruiser singlet!!! Oh well I was very comfortable the entire run.

We sat in the car for as long as we could... but then Joan rounded up the troops and we headed out for our warm up run. It wasn't much of a warm up but it was enough for my stomach to warm up and send me to the port-a-potties. Luckily I had a successful visit and was ready to race.

Dennis our running coach was not very happy with us when he found out we were racing today after our 1/2 marathon last weekend. He told me to just be careful!! I told myself I was just going to take it easy this race.

Kelly and I lined up together... she asked what I was planning on running and I told her 10:00min miles. She said she would hang with me for as long as she could.

After the introduction of the Duck Queen we were off
Kelly and I ran together, we started off a little too fast during that first mile,we were both trying to slow each other down. I remember at one point saying slow down lets enjoy this.
Kelly did a great job and I really tried to keep it at a 10:00 minute mile, but when we reached the one mile mark I heard 9:4???? Ooop's too fast. Soon after the first mile Kelly sent me off she said she needed to find her comfort zone. I understand that very well so off I went. I was still trying to keep it slower but I was feeling good and decided to just relax and enjoy and whatever my pace was I usually only glance at my garmin occasionally so I tried not to look at it. I was starting to pass people and that is always a good feeling.


Last year when we did this race I started off way to fast at the beginning and was falling apart by mile 1... I was determined this year to be smarter. To be fair to myself, last year I was a new runner we had only been running for a couple of months when we did the race, we had a few 5k's under our belt but I had no idea how to race 6.2 miles.. heck I could barely run 6.2 miles at that time.

Today was wonderful, I fell into a groove and just ran. When I got to the first water stop I grabbed a cup of water while still running and tried to take a drink, but it was not working so I slowed down just for a second to take a sip. Just before the water stop I had passed a guy in a gray sweatshirt, as I took that one second walk break to drink he passed me. As I started running again I reeled him in and ended up running either just behind or beside him for the next 2.5 or 3 miles. Just after the 4 mile mark I don't know if he slowed down or I sped up but I soon passed him, I really didn't want to it had been nice having him to pace off of and he was kind of a big guy so he helped block the wind too!! Right around the 5 mile mark we came back onto a main road and a police officer was blocking traffic, as usual I had thanked all the volunteers.. I was just about to thank this guy when he says hurry up.. hurry up. Ugh I didn't want to hear that!!! LOL but hurry up I did :)

Soon I was turning the last corner and it was just a little less than a mile to the finish line. I didn't think that road was ever going to end, you can see the finish line for a long time so it can trick you into starting your final kick too soon. Plus I forgot that a 10K is 6.2 miles not 6.1. By the time I did make it to the finish I was DONE!!!.. but I did manage a nice little sprint at the end. I had been hoping for 1:00 I didn't quite make it but I was VERY happy with my time.

6.2 miles (my garmin said 6.3)
1:01:11
avg pace 9:44

1 - 9:41
2 - 9:58
3 - 9:57
4 - 9:52
5 - 9:38
6 - 9:32
.2 -2:36

I ran with my i-pod today and I really enjoyed it... for once it was playing all the good songs. It was funny because one of my favorite running songs is "Push It" the techo version. It came on during the last .2 and it was helping spur me on, and just before the finish line there were Joan, Brenda and Raquel cheering me on and just as I passed Brenda she yelled PUSH IT...how perfect!!!

Susan's husband was taking pictures and he got a couple of shots of me finishing... I like this one of me crossing the finish line and he got my official time in the shot as well. Thank you Chasen!!! :)

After I crossed the finish line I was heading over to the girls when I saw Chasen on the sidewalk, I walked up to him and just kind of grabbed his arm. I was still a little breathless. We talked for a minute and then I kept on walking. Kelly's husband Robert had a great race too and he was with the girls when I got to them, we started walking down the road to cheer in the rest of the girls. Kelly was next looking strong and pretty in pink! Just behind her was Toni. Robert and I kept on walking, and soon we saw Susan.. she was looking very bright and shiny and like she could run forever. She is going to have a great Marathon in Memphis! After Susan was Jennifer and thenSonjaand right behind her was Susan. Everyone did a great job and today was the first 10K for Toni, Susan P., Sonja and Jennifer. It might have been for Kelly too... she went straight from 5k's to 1/2 marathons! lol

After scoring some free coffee drinks we headed back to the car to put on warm clothes and then inside the bank for the award ceremony. There were freshly baked cookies so I snagged a couple and sat down by Brenda. She said you know we are going to breakfast after this. LOL I was just so hungry! I had a 1/2 of a peanut butter sandwich at 5:00am, but just before time for me to leave to meet everyone I got nauseous and threw up a little bit. Gross I know.. sorry. We weren't even to Stuttgart yet and my stomach was growling so after the race I needed something to tide me over until breakfast.
The Cabot group cleaned up at the awards ceremony. Raquel was 3rd female OVER ALL!! Brenda was 1st place female Masters. Robert, Kelly, Joan, Toni, Susan and I all won age group awards. Kelly was FIRST in her age group, I was second in mine and Robert was third in his. Toni was second in our age group and Susan P. was second in her's and of course Joan was first in her age group as well.
Soon it was time to say our good-bye's and head for breakfast. We had seen a little restaurant in Hazen on the way in and apparently that is where the group has stopped during previous races. We walked in the door and the place was wall to wall camo.. it was kind of surreal looking. The whole experience was a big dissapointment, the waitress told us we would not be able to get breakfast and then it took almost an hour for us to get our food. Luckily we were all having so much fun talking it passed pretty quickly. Good thing I had those cookies!!!

Another great race with the Cabot Cruiser's and our honorary Cruiser Susan.