Sunday Runday: Cardiff Kook 10k

I keep meaning to write about the Cardiff Kook 10k, and then I keep forgetting. It's just been one of those months.

So let me take you back to the beginning of the month.  I signed up for the Cardiff Kook 10k, because I'm trying to run more 10ks, and I already know I really like this one.  I didn't have any goals in mind,  especially since I haven't run a race for time in months,  and a 10k in even longer.  I figured this would give me a good benchmark for what I needed to do to get my sub - hour goal.  I'd run it nice and easy, and just see how I felt.

I'm currently training for a half marathon,  and the weekend of the race fell on my 8 mile run.  I'm really trying to train smarter for this half,  so I didn't want to blow off my schedule this early on. I parked a mile from the start line and ran a nice, easy mile into Encinitas.

I hung out for a little bit, waiting for the race to start,  before self-seeding myself toward the rear of the pack.  And then we were off.

There's so much I love about this race,  and the first half is so nice, scenic,  and downhill.  At the first mile,  my Nike app informed me I was well under a 10 minute mile.  I thought about pulling back a bit,  but I wasn't pushing it,  so I just let it ride.

I got a similar notification at mile 2. At this point I figured I might as well take advantage of all this downhill,  because I'd definitely be slowing down as I headed back,  uphill.

It was a gorgeous day,  the perfect weather for running.  And as I passed the Cardiff Kook,  I spotted a friend and her kids.  I knew this meant her husband was running the course, and I spent the next mile looking for him to pass me on his way back. Which he did shortly before mile 3.

At mile 3 and 4 I was still consistently under a 10 minute mile,  and ready to head into the hills of mile 5.

Mile 5 found me unexpectedly at 50 minutes,  and I thought, "could I possibly run the next 1.2 miles in less than 10 minutes? Might as well try!" And I kicked it into high gear.

The good news is I ran the next mile in under 10 minutes.  I hit 6 miles at 59:53. At that point I knew I wasn't going to get the last .2 in 7 seconds. 

I hit the finish at 1:01:52. Which is 39 seconds faster than last year!  Making it my new PR, and not too shabby for a benchmark run. 

I grabbed a ton of water, then ran back to my car,  taking time to appreciate the costumes of the 5k runners. 

There was a group of women walking together with pinwheels and bubbles and I hope my friends and I do the same at their age.

I really do like this race.  It's such a great course, and not as long as the Encinitas half, which runs the same route.  The course is challenging without being hard.  And of course,  you can't beat those views.