2010 Omaha Corporate Cup

Race: Omaha Corporate Cup
Results: here
Race Pictures: from dlenz
When: September 19, 2010
Where: Omaha, NE

Introduction:
Third year in a row for this race. It was my first race ever two years ago. Last year it was the first time sub-40 minutes.

The Race:
New to the race this year was the 'Elite' race. An earlier 7:45am start for anyone who met the time standards. 129 runners finished. One thing that was definitely different was that due to the 'Elite' race's earlier start and to some degree the cool/misty conditions, there we very little crowd support. One thing that I have always loved in prior years was making the turn and seeing the masses of runners heading the other way. Shouting out encoragement and recieving some likelwise was one of the most enjoyable parts of this race. This year, in the elite race, I was mid-field. So approaching the turn there was only 3-4 minutes of runners ahead of me and the same behind. Not exactly masses of fellow runners.

With recent injury and recovery I didn't have the training I would have liked going into this race. 3-4 weeks of cross training and little to no actual running workouts in the last 2 months. My goal was definately lofty in my opinion. Go out in 6:10's and hold on as long as I can. I didn't run with anyone this time as I wanted to stick right with my plan. Started off the first mile right on pace. I slipped up a couple of seconds on mile 2 and then made up for it on mile 3. After the turn at the half-way mark, I just kept with how I was feeling and tracked with the runners around me. With the mile 5 mark I picked it up and just used up what was left in the tank. The last hill up to the Civic sucked.

My run:
New 10K PR: 38:13

Start to mile marker 1:
Split: 6:10
Mile markers 1 to 2:
Split: 6:12
Mile markers 2 to 3:
Split: 6:07   (front 3.1:  19:15)
Mile markers 3 to 4:
Split: 6:08
Mile markers 4 to 5:
Split: 6:07
Mile markers 5 to 6:
Split: 6:03
Mile markers 6 to Finish:
Split: 1:24  (back 3.1:  18:58)

Conclusion:
In the end, once again, I feel like I ran a faster race than I should have been able to. Now, as long as my body recovers over the next few days, I will sign up for the half marathon at Kansas City and try to set a new PR for that distance.