SpringMaid Splash 10K 2009

Date: 8/22/09

Distance: 10K

Time: 53:06

Place: 20th

Pace: 8:33





Well I had trained more intensely for this 10K by adding two 7-8 mile runs during the week plus one long run on Sundays combined with stair work and hill training on week days.

We to arrived at Black Mountain Campground on Thursday and did some hiking around the area on Friday. Friday evening I attended the delicious pasta dinner and picked up my race packet at Spruce Pine First Baptist Church.

On Saturday morning we left the campground at 7:00am and arrived at the parking area at 8:00am. There were shuttles taking runners to the race site into Spring Maid Mountain. I was surprised to see so many runners for this race there were 353 in the 10K and 169 for the 5K.

This was my first time running in this event so I didn't know what to expect. The description of the race on the website stated the following:

"This run is not for the faint-hearted. You will get wet. You will run along flat fields next to the river, and through the river four times. Paths wind through mountain laurel, challenging HILLS, numerous switchbacks, singletrack, soft sand, alongside ponds, over roots and rocky spots".

The 5K and 10K runners all started at the same time and to separate runners the race started in a field before heading into the single track trail.

I got up front at the starting line and just after 8:30 the race started. I ran hard to get a good place in the front as we started onto a sandy/muddy trail that then lead to the first river crossing. The water was at least knee high and I had to bring my knees up high to run across and after the cross is when my HR started to increase. The resistance of water and the increase in weight of my shoes/socks combined with the added hills to come made for an interesting and challenging race.

The single track was quite technical it had rained for the past few days so the trails were muddy with lots of wet rocky and slippery terrain. For me the hills were great..nice quad workout. I did when I had to briskly walk a couple hills( In order conserve energy) leading up to the top.

The second river was at least above knee deep and my whole lower body was wet. I struggled to bring my knees up high and run across. They did have a rope to grasp on to if needed which I refused this time.

There were three runners with me.. I would walk the steepest hills and would be pasted by them; yet even though I walked and they ran I was still only few steps behind them. On the down hills is where I surged and would past them. Again leading to the top this was repeated I would walk and sometimes be passed and again blast the down hills.

Finally to the top and it was all down hill from there and I was able to extend by lead and not be passed again. And again back to the river crossing. I noticed now that there were some 5K runners that I was starting to past and greet so I must be getting close to the finish. At the last river crossing I was starTing to wobble :) now I'll take the rope. Finally to an open field and down hill and then a slight hill and back down to the finish.

Wow what a great race. Mud/Water/Rocks and Hills what more could you want?

I finished 53:06 and 20th overall and placed third in my age group.