Thinkabit Blogabit

Last Sunday (June 6th), I ran the Newton 10K in nearby Newton, Massachusetts.  This year, the event was also part of USA Track and Field’s New England Grand Prix series …  a team and individual championship series.  This means most of the region’s best runners of all ages show up.  I ran for the Cambridge Sport Union (which I first joined in 1980).  To cut to the chase, I ran a leisurely 42:38 — about what I aimed to run (full individual and team results here).

The weather was quite warm (80s F). The course was fair.  The first half had more up hill, the second half more down.  Not enough shade.  Affluent Newton neighborhoods graced some of the course.  Other parts were not too exciting.  Water every mile (but they need to use large cups and have more people helping at the water stops).  Miles seemed to be marked accurately.

Speaking of splits, mine were roughly: 6:56,  7:05, 7:06, 6:57, 6:32, 6:40, 1:22.  My last two races were marathons, and I have not been doing as much quality speed work.  I found it hard to get my legs moving — felt uncomfortable at that level of leg turn-over.  Will need to work on that before the Chatham 10K in 11 days.

Our CSU 50-59 old men’s team placed 6th.  I was surprised to see that they use the gun times, not the net chip times, for adding into the total team time.  I and other CSUers started back from the starting line, and lost over 10- seconds each getting to the start.  This cost the 60-69 men’s team a place, I think.  Next time, we’ll know better.

Speaking of places, I was 240th overall, 27th in the M50-59 division.  To see the level of competition … last year, when the race was not part of the Grand Prix that time would have snagged 52nd and 5th.  They had more than twice as many runners this year than last.