Last weekend's race was a bucket list race that I've always wanted to do because....Annapolis. Just wanted to prove to myself that I could face the three H's (Heat, Hills, and Humidity) and still finish in a timely fashion. The race conditions didn't disappoint and I was able to maintain my pace by continually thinking about the cut off times of the race and how many minutes I have to spare. My paces in my head seemed even (accept the stuck in the pack speedy first mile) but after downloading them with my Garmin, there was quite a bit of variation. |
This race also had lots of great bling. At packet pick up you received a buff (I love these things) and a running hat. A buff can be worn as a balaclava, a hat, a scarf, a headband, etc...it's very versatile once you figure it out! Upon finishing the race you received a hooded sweatshirt with zipper. It was too hot to think about wearing the sweatshirt then but I certainly appreciated it this weekend as it finally cooled down with tropical storm Hermine. Another bonus, low resolution photos were free to download!
I consider this race a success. The hills were not as bad and I remember them in the Annapolis 1/2 last November and didn't seem as brutal as the Baltimore 10 Miler either. I'm hoping it's the weight lifting that I have down lately or it may have just been my slower pace. It could also be that one run around my childhood home town neighborhood which has a greater climb in just 4 miles. I should probably run there more often. My goals were to have a good run in hard conditions and to gain confidence for running the Richmond Marathon in November. My only regret is that I didn't take time to take pictures on the gorgeous course that winds through downtown Annapolis and overlooks the US Naval Academy.