2009 Cowtown Radioshack 10k

Today was a first for me, and I'd like to take you along for the experience before the details start to fade from memory.  I ran in my first race today, the Cowtown Radioshack 10k.  Here's what it was like.

Things actually got started yesterday after work.  I went to Sundance Square in Ft. Worth to pick up my packet which contained my bib and timing chip (along with a ton of advertisements and a T-shirt).  There were actually a couple of good information guides in there as well.  It was pretty cool even at 5:30 p.m. yesterday, and I knew that didn't bode well for the next day.  The process was pretty quick, though, and I had what I needed.  Before going to bed last night, I pinned my bib on my shirt and affixed the timing chip to my right shoe.

5:15 a.m. Saturday -

I laid everything out for breakfast the night before, and I sprang out of bed.  I didn't do anything different that I do any other morning that I go work out at the gym.  Since my 10k's are around an hour, it's about like taking a group exercise class.

6:15 a.m.  -

I've got everything, and I'm ready to go.  It is dark, and the short walk to the car chilled me pretty thoroughly.  This showed up in my attempt at updating my Facebook status as it was littered with typos.

6:45 a.m.  -

The drive to Downtown Ft. Worth is quick, but then the traffic jam hits.  I now have my parking spot in one of the free garages, and I post an update on Facebook.  I cranked up Metallica on the way down to try to get psyched up for the race.  It worked pretty well.

6:55 a.m. -

I see many people taking shelter in the Barnes & Nobel at 4th and Calhoun so I decide to join them.  It was a popular place since they serve Starbucks.  They also have real restrooms too.  I decided this was a pretty good idea so I headed upstairs.  Lots of other people had the same idea, but fortunately for me most of them were women.  You would have thought they were giving out something really special as long as their line was.

7:05 a.m. -

It seems a little early to head over the the starting line - just a few blocks over at 4th and Throckmorton.  So I find a corner to claim back down on the first floor, and I do some light stretching.  The number of people in Barnes & Nobel had to exceed what the fire codes permit, but no one seemed interested in enforcing it at the time.

7:15 a.m. -

I decide that I need to get used to the elements so I make my way over to the starting line.  It is very cold at 37 degrees with a moderate north wind.  I only know shorts and a T-shirt as my running gear so that's what I went with.  Much to my surprise as I make my way over, I find Jason Cook and his wife (I forget her name), and she is running the 10k, but Jason will be running the 5k that starts at 8:15.  After a brief conversation, I find a spot behind the starting line in the middle of the pack.  I stretch some more as best I can in close quarters, and I make idle chit chat with some of the other people standing near by.  Everyone is amazed that I am in shorts.  I wasn't amazed as much as I was just cold.  However I knew I'd be fine 5 minutes into the race.  My adrenaline was up at this point.  Like many others, I jump up and down as we get within 30 seconds of the gun.

7:30 a.m. -

The start of a race is most closely akin to a mosh pit from the 90's metal era.  I didn't get bumped too badly, but there was not much space to operate in for the first couple of blocks.  We head south on Throckmorton Street and follow the course (which can be see in full on the Cowtown web site).  It was hard to hold back and not just tear out running full speed when the crowd started to thin.  I managed to get about four minutes in before I gave in.  There were some downhill stretches early on, and I used those to make hay.

7:39 a.m. -

We reach the first checkpoint at mile 1.  I grab a cup of water and slurp down a couple of sips before tossing it.  I'm feeling good at this point.  However a couple of uphill stretches take care of this.  The wind was relentless on the open east/west portions of the run which were also the longest stretches on the course.  It was manageable though by this point.

7:57 a.m. -

I've now reached the halfway checkpoint.  It was encouraging to be on a 54 minute pace given how strong the wind had been.  I grabbed more water and pressed on.  The next quarter of the race went by fairly uneventful.

8:14 a.m. -

I reach the five mile checkpoint, and I'm starting to feel it at now.  I'm officially ready for the race to be done.  I skip the water at this point not wanting to slow down for it.  This might have been a mistake.

8:22 a.m. -

I've just passed mile marker six.  We are headed to Main Street, and there are more spectators along the route.  This should have been energizing, but I was pretty much out of gas at this point.  I trudged along until I could see the Finish Line and the clock.  Seeing 53:45 ticking up toward 54:00, I hit a burst with the last bit of energy that I had.  I crossed right as the clock ticked 54:00.  Then the search for water, water, and more water.  For food, they were giving bananas and yogurt so I passed on that knowing I had a protein bar in the car.

8:30 a.m. -

I need to stretch, but now that I've stopped moving it is cold - really cold.  No problem.  Barnes & Nobel to the rescue again.  It is a zoo, but I make my way up to the second floor.  As things turned out, there was plenty of room on the empty World History/World War II isle.  After a good stretch and cool down, I made my way a few blocks back to the garage.  It was slow getting out, but I eventually did.

And that was my Cowtown experience.  If I could change anything, I would trade out today's weather for next weeks forecast - mid 50's in the early morning with winds out of the south.  That would feel like summer by way of comparison.

Until next time...

PH