Will Eat Ice Cream: McConnell’s 10K

I will eat ice cream.  But not yet.  A profound statement?  Rocky Road cool your skumfidus (Danish for marshmallow and one of my favorite all time words), I am coming for you.  Just wait.

SKUMFIDUS (Schkum-fi-doo!)  Go on say it, “skumfidus” hee hee hee, “skumfidus” hee hee hee.

Right now it is misting and I am shivering to the point of loosening teeth.  I am a Santa Barbara softy.  60 degrees with mist has me rattling and exploding in goosebumps.  “I can’t even look at you,” Susy turns away.  My goosebumps are surely contagious.  “Are you swimming?” Ricky asks.  Um no, no more swimming in the frigid ocean unless  I am on a boat that capsizes.  Last year I ran the McConnell’s 5K, the 10K, and then jumped in the ocean and swam.  I was attacked by two vicious charlie horses that set up camp in my calves for a week.  For me, giving up ocean swimming to focus more on running was about as hard as a non-smoker giving up cigarettes.  Puff-puff-hack.  Think I’ll quit.  Done.  Congrats.

“Get your ice cream,” Kevin jokes, “cold, creamy, ice-y cream.”  Tim and I stand and watch the 5K go off under the direction of Jordan Hasay.  Giddily, I go over to say hello to her and shake her hand.  Later I get a signed picture of her.  Yep, I’m a fan.  It is way too hard not to be!

Bethany has come out for the 10K, but just as a tempo workout.  I do not want a tempo workout, I want to race.  Earlier this year, I wrote up my goals that included my lofty 5K and a 10K time of 36:30.  I had some great track meets this summer, progress in my 5K, and Tuesday I ran fairly comfortably around and around the track at 5:52 to 5:46 pace for 6miles with of course the blessed recovery time caramelized in there. 

Cool misty morning.  No wind.  USATF certified and flat course.  Proper warm up.  Proper hydration and fuel.  Painted my finger nails go-go-purple.  I thought for sure I would run between 36:30 and 36:50.  I never doubted myself.  Jordan told us to “go.”

Brrrrr.  Still cold.  Mile one felt like butter and was way too fast.  I backed off and ran mile 2, 3, 4, dead on.  My 5K split hit 18:15.  Mile 5 began to eat up my seconds.  Mile 6 was my slowest mile which is perfectly consistent with having mile 1 be my fastest.  However, there was no cliff.  I hung fairly consistent mile 2-6, but still came up 37:07.  How quickly seconds can bleed away.  Once again, I tried my absolute hardest and that was all I had today.

I won the race and Kevin relayed that my time was the 4th fastest female 10K time run on the course.  So why so glum?  It is the curse of the persistent inner killer.  Nobody cares but me, but since I have to answer to me well, well, I guess that is all that matters.  This is why those that love me sometimes also call me crazy.  Actually, anyone who calls me crazy, I am just going to assume that they love me.  Ah-ha, gotcha.

“Ice cream?”  Um not yet.  Water.  Recovery drink.  And congrats to Tim who ran a huge PR of 36:34, Jaime who slammed a wicked last mile and PR’d with 36:49, and surprise….surprise, shocking that he should get a PR, but Ricky ran a 35:12.

Back up.  Ricky’s former 10K best was around 36:20.  He ran the 5K as a warm up, but still cleared the line in 18:35.  He sort of did his finishing sprint, but just for fun.  He tippy toed over the line with a smile.  I have to wonder what Ricky would have done if he’d sat that 5K out.  Who goes from a 36:20 to a 35:12!?  One Ho.  I am so jealous!  Todd (34:51), watch your back baby. Full results.

An hour cool down finally got the brain thinking ice cream.  “Think there is any left?” Tim asks.  We see the bins.  Oh-ho-ho, Rocky Road, Tin Roof, Mint Chip, Choc, Van, and Strawberry.  My daughter follows me over.

“Don’t give her anymore,” my husband yells, “she already had some.”  But who can say no to that face.  Wait, what just happened?  The world disappears somewhere between bites of Rocky Road, Tin Roof, and buckets of skumfidus drowning in a gallon sized can of chocolate syrup.  Did I run today?  Who am I?  Oh butterscotch sauce and crushed up cookies!  There is no talking, only eating.  I need to be physically removed from this table….

Oh look!  Twizzlers!

Thank you Kevin!  OK, just two more Twizzlers and this dixie cup of skumfidus to go.  Wait, I can take more if I chub some in my cheeks.  Mank U Kavan.  Thumbs up!

~ by drea on August 16, 2009.