10k and the Rain
It’s great weather we’ve been having. So much so that last week felt like Summer, the humidity frying my hair on the walk to work while inwardly all I wanted to do was start wearing my large collection of sweaters.However yesterday, timing being perfect as always, I stood in the pouring rain, Nike shorts on sporting my goose-bumped legs, Asics being soaked though to the socks, white T-shirt revealing the black sports bra underneath, as I awaited the start of the Tufts Health Plan Benefit 10k race for Women. Boston Common was packed with the 6,000 people who raced, and I stood alone, trying to find my way under one of the few tents to try to keep dry and stop my muscles from freezing up.
It was in vain. So I tacked on my race number and went up onto Beacon street. I was standing, hopping, jogging in place while the rain let up a little as I tried not to think about the fact that I was freezing and that my bladder was full. Looking around me everyone seemingly had iPods attached to their bodies in some form or another, even though the race rules specifically said no iPods. Foolish me, I followed the rules despite the fact that I’m not used to running without music. I figured the race day anxiety and energy bar I had in the morning would be enough push me through the monotony without my usual playlist of U2 and The Killers. So there I was, all alone, wet, cold and sans the great motivational music I’m used to, streaming into my ears from my glorious white earphones.
The race started and the rain never stopped. The roads were packed as I tried to weave around the walls of the 10 minute milers to get as close to the front as I could. There were puddles everywhere and my sneakers are now ruined because of them. I needed new ones anyway.
By the time I hit the Harvard Bridge on the way back I was in a groove and making good time, passing people left and right, feeling I was running one of my best mile times ever. In my head I was playing my own music (while I gave angry glances to the rule breakers), Take Five being the predominant song my brain decided to put on loop. Then I hit Comm Ave. I have to admit it’s much longer than it looks, especially after you’ve been running for almost fifty minutes. I broke into a sprint too soon, and as I rounded the end by the Garden I saw Kinsey (who was up from DC) and AG waving from the corner cheering me on. I pushed through and made it around the end, only to nearly lose it in the last 30 yards. My legs suddenly felt like jello, or maybe even pudding as perhaps a combination of the rain and the cold finally took their toll on my muscles.
I crossed the finish in 55:20 having run an 8:55 minute mile.
I grabbed as many free water bottles, luna bars and bananas as I could, made it back to the office, showered (my office has showers) and went back to work. It was all I could do to stop myself from putting my head down on my desk and falling asleep. If the guy in the cube next to me hadn’t been at work yesterday, I probably would have. Kinsey, AG and myself went to the 21st after work for burgers and pints to celebrate my race time. I made it home in time to fall asleep halfway through the 7th inning of the Yankees game. Looks like I don't have any more baseball to watch this year. Diva Girl and Sweet Girl will be happy as I've been yelling at the TV a lot lately.
In other news it’s raining here today and it’s supposed to rain all week. I think I’ll take a break from running…for a little while anyway.
posted by Victoria Comella @ 8:13 AM
3 Comments:
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I feel like this is a talk radio thing....first time commenter long time reader. HA!
I work at Tufts and from what I gathered was that the IPODS and what not really were only a concern for people who were going to try and actually win the race. (The olympic types) If anything, whatever gets more people to run the thing the better. So maybe next year you can bring U2 and the Killers with you.
That's a great time by the way.
Jay (a friend of International Girl)
Yeah Rory! Way to race like a rockstar. Congrats.
-B
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