Teaching Heart Blog

10 mile race done in May and now I get to add a 6 mile race to my list!!!  Yipppeeee!!!!  I am surely hooked on races.  I love the spirit of the runners and how friendly and happy most of them are. 

Here’s the start of the 10K Great Race in Pittsburgh 2010!

I snapped a quick picture before going over the starting line.  I went to the race with my Dad.  He ran the race a few times back in the 80’s with my Uncle.  My Uncle is a great runner and actually was seated in the race back in the 80’s.  It’s in my blood!!!  My dad was so funny…  In our hour bus line wait to get to the start line he was telling everyone about my Uncle.  He’s now a legend in Pittsburgh. 

So we got in the LONG line for the 10K bus at around  8:00 and did not end up getting to the start till about 9:35.  Ran to the bathroom and just jumped into the crowd going towards the start.  The crowd was awesome clapping and getting excited about crossing the start line.  Gotta love the Pittsburgh Spirit!

The first mile is down hill and then a pretty big uphill stretch.  You start seeing people walk on the hill.  Around mile 2 the Air Force running cadence caught up with  me and I got to run with them in my site for about 20 minutes.  It is fun listening to them.  Takes your mind off the “temporary” pain of running.

The run is pretty through the city (Pittsburgh is a nice city to look at) and the  people cheering on the streets keep you going.  Reading the signs and watching the crowd makes the run go by.  It’s a change from my usual boring trail run.  My dad said when he passed the jail that the people in the jail were waving.  I never looked into the windows at the time.  I remember hating life around that time.  My legs were heavy and I knew I was close to my wanted time.  I was hurting and wanted to be done.  So I missed the waving jail mates.  I did  give the Eat’n Park cookie a high five.  Then I ate one at the end of the race.  LOL!!!

Anyway, I was told there was lots of down hills in this race.  There were, but there also some good hills and steady upgrades. 

Coming into Point State Park you see a huge crowd yelling.  I tried my best to sprint…  but it wasn’t working as well as I had hoped.  I was happy with a time of 1 hour 3 min for over six miles of running.

Here I am at the finish line!  I circled my blur.  The two in blue were with me for most of the race.  Thanks to them for helping me get a good pace going and their conversations were interesting…  LOL!!!

My only complaint about the race…  at the finish give people water bottles.  Germ city the way they handed out water at this race.  I don’t even want to think about it.  GROSS!!!!

Okay, what’s next…  started with 10 miles, did a 10K, think a 5k is in order.  How about the Turkey Trot in November…  Or maybe the five miler???  I can burn extra calories for all the food I will be eating that night. 

Thanks for reading!!!!