hot chocolate 10k:::: asheville, nc

.:race details:.

date: january 26
race day pick up? yes. there were 3 opportunities to pick up your packet, race morning, the night before at the pasta party, or the night before that when they had a chocolate tasting.
start time:  845 am [10k], there was also a kids hill climb and marshmallow dash
did race start on time? yes
adequate restrooms?  yes, there were porto potties outside and the bathrooms inside the school
aid stations:  4 or 5 water stations.
course spectator support: there were groups of people all over the course and the finish line crowd was great.
course terrain:  all paved, starts downhill, then flattens out... until the last half mile. holy hill.
shirts:  long sleeved cotton shirts
medals:  none
would i race again?  absolutely
any complaints? a couple of the water stations weren't really ready for runners, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
what you need to know:  get there early, they encourage you to park in one of the downtown garages and they bus you over [which worked great, we didn't wait long at all, and we were able to stand inside the library where it was warm].

my race:

i ran 2 miles to warm up [i had a little time before the race started and i figured i'd might as well use it to chip away at the 20 miles]. i've never ran like that before a race but apparently i need to. i was using this race to help me out with the 20 miler, not going for any time goals, so i wasn't looking at my watch. my ipod died for a little bit around mile 3 so i heard the split called out as i passed and it was under 30 minutes. whaaaat?

then the internal battle started... do i push it and try to PR [or get my goal of a sub hour?] or do i take it easy and set myself up for a better 20 miler. i decided to keep cruising and see how it went. when i got to mile 5 i started pushing it. i knew i had that sub hour and i wanted it really badly. i felt like i needed it for some reason. stupid? yes. but oh well.

then came the big @ss hill. holy pace killer.

according my garmin i ran 6.27 in 59:58... but gun time was.... 1:00:00.

i cannot believe i ran the whole race in the nines! i know that may seem glacial to some of you, but for me that's great! guess i'll have to break an hour some other time :) but a 6 minute PR? i'll take it all day every day!