Race Report: Army Ten Miler
This was my first time running the Army Ten Miler (ATM). I scheduled the race as a recovery "fun run" eight days following my Ultra-Distance Triathlon.
I was really surprised at the number of participants (26,000 registrants) and very impressed with the organization of race with that many runners. All aspects from arrival to finish were actually enjoyable.
I was in the second of a two wave start, but luckily at the front of the second wave that separated the first wave by 5 mins.
Crossing the start was fairly crowded but again this was just a fun run, right? Mile 1 was a easy 9:00 min pace and a few walkers from the first wave. Mile 2 and 3 I found my rhythm and started to get up around a HR zone three and a hot pace (for me) around 8:00/mi. Miles 3-6 I was dumbstruck as to how strong I felt - like I could run harder and faster for a long, long time. It was exhilarating as I was continually passing runners and to do so safely zigzagging thru packs that were now thinning out. I would fall in to a seemingly fast group only to eek out ahead in just few minutes. At this point I switched mental gears from fun run to RACE!.
Miles 7 and 8 were flat and fast. For the first time ever while running, I was experiencing the 'runners high'! I was sweating, breathing, and running in synchronization. I covered those two miles in approx 12:15 and not once did I feel my legs. I'd look down and it was like I was watching someone else’s legs move. I marveled at watching my knees tracking in line and driving my stride forward and my foot strikes at the ball of my foot, my heels not even touching the ground -- I was FLYING along with less than a mile to go. Admittedly, two runners passed me up here, an older male and a long legged younger female with an amazingly fast leg turnover.
Then quite quickly pain snapped me out of the clouds. My right knee was stiffening up and with considerably acute pain on the lower outside. Down the 395 off ramp, under a over pass into the Pentagon South parking lot and couple hundred feet in to the finish line was all that was left. Very deliberately, I tried to remain focused on each stride and form and suppress the thoughts of pain and push through the threshold. I rounded the last corner toward the home stretch like I was banking turn four at Daytona. The crowd was in a frenzy lining the chute. I was not leaving anything in bank on this one. It was a full-on sprint to the line.
A couple dozen yards past the finish line, I came to a stop breathing really hard and a little shaky. It only took a second, or two, to know I had some real damage in my right knee even though everything else felt like going another 10 mile loop. I hobbled through to turn in my chip, be handed my ATM finisher coin, get some water and food, and find Dolly.
All said, I will run this race every year if I'm able. It was so dang on fun and accessible how could I not. I would highly recommend it to whomever can get there and do it.
As for the knee - see Marine Corp Marathon race report.