Newport 10 Miler Race Report

 Well since it has been almost 2 full months, I figured I would go ahead and finally do a race report!  Sadly enough this was the last time I felt good running since I broke my toe not long after! 

If you've read my blog for very long, you will quickly know that Newport 10 Miler is one of my favorite races ever!  Granted I am just slightly biased since this is my hometown, but the course is beautiful and I always have a great time!! 

This year I was excited to not only have many ladies that I run with on Cape joining the race, but my BRF Jill was back this year as well!!  She came down the day before and we were able to head to Fort Adams to pick up our numbers amid the sailing races of the day!  There isn't an expo really but it is a very easy in and out to pick up the numbers.  This year we were able to choose a tech shirt.  I opted for the bright blue men's shirt instead of the yellow women's.  It was a great design this year!!

We hung around my parents' house for the night knowing that the 7:30 start was going to hit us early...plus it is always a must to get there WAY ahead of time since there is really one way into the fort.  Flat Nancy was ready to jump into the night before!!

That morning it was really hard to figure out what to wear.  Fort Adams juts out into the harbor and is just about the most southern point of the island so the winds whip there.  Add to that a little rain and you have a confused runner!  I layered up and actually ended up pitching the jacket as I passed by my car....and boy was I glad I did!!  We had some time before the race started so we chatted and met up with Jen, Lisa, and Jaime as well as Jen's Dad!! 

There were different waves for the start so Jill and I decided to start in the first wave.  She was taking the race easy since she is training for an ultra and I wanted to hit another sub 1:30 since my back has been a cranky jerk lately. 

National anthem was sung and before we knew it we were off!! I said my byes to Jill and off I went! 

I love a great and free race photo!!

I took this race really one mile at a time.  Like I said, I had low expectations considering how my back had been feeling.  After mile 1 beeped in around 8:15, I found myself saying, "Well let's do that one more time" for the next 10 miles!  Of course the rolling hills at the beginning were just a preview for the big mamas in the later miles!  My pace stayed pretty consistently between 8:15-8:30 for about 6-7 miles.

After winding around Ocean Drive and then turning onto the famed Bellevue Ave, we turn back toward the fort and almost immediately face one of the steep hills.  My pace really slowed but I did not stop...just one step in front of the other!  I was feeling awesome until I hit the last mile at 9 where my stomach began to cramp something fierce....yes this has happened to me before....in this same race....at this same spot!!!  Grrrrrrr!!!  Again I pushed one foot in front of the other and was psyched to turn into the fort and across the finish!!!

I hit my goal by finishing in 1:27....8:44 pace in the top 90 of my age group.  I was a struggle to the finish with my crampy cramp but I was excited to pull out the sub 1:30 considering my conditions.  I quickly turned around to find the rest of our crew....even though I missed half of them finishing!!  LOL!

Jill and I made our way back to the car but not before we took some fun pictures on the pier!

I'm already excited for next year!!!  I'm telling you all you need to add this one to your bucket list if you've never run it!!!