Denouement

Chung Hing Cup 10K

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Location:

Kowloon Tong,Hong Kong

Member Since:

Jul 02, 2007

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Olympic Trials Qualifier

Running Accomplishments:

Unaided:

5K - 17:11 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:48 (track Pre-kids and at BYU) (1998)

10K - 35:34 (road - Shek Mun 10k 12/12)

1/2 Marathon 1:19:44 (UNICEF HM 11/12)

Marathon 2:47:08 (ING Hartford Connecticut 10/10)

Aided:

St. George Marathon 2:50:40 (10/08)

1/2 marathon - Hobble Creek 1:17:14 (8/08)

10K - Deseret News 10K - 35:02 (7/08)

Short-Term Running Goals:

PR 1/2 marathon AGAIN


Long-Term Running Goals:

Break 2:46 in Boston!

Personal:

I used to run for BYU, but only after trying out three times and finally walking on, so I was never a star. However, it was wonderful to run with great people and under Coach Shane. When you run with fast people, you can't help to improve! I graduated BYU in 1998, and didn't run a race until 2002, after having my second child. My hiatus and other crazy life commitments have made my competitive running suffer, but the last couple of years I have tried to get back into it the best I can. I have been married since 1996, to Paul Lowry, who is a runner himself. I have three boys (my three rascals), ages 12, 10, and 8.

After a great 2008 season, I was injured and eventually diagnosed and cross-diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis, a type of arthritis disease, which precludes running for all but the most stubborn.  So I am on medications, trying to stay healthy, and seeing my PT often.  And running!  Now beating the streets in Hong Kong.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
NB RC900 Black/yellow Lifetime Miles: 183.31
NB RC1300 Red/Black Lifetime Miles: 195.31
2012 MTR Lifetime Miles: 4035.70
890 Blue Lifetime Miles: 310.55
NB RC 1600 Lifetime Miles: 96.76
RC 1400 Lifetime Miles: 90.60
NB 890 Baby Blue Lifetime Miles: 233.26
NB 890 Electric Blue Lifetime Miles: 319.67
NB 890 Tokyo Turquoise Lifetime Miles: 163.54
Race: Chung Hing Cup 10K (6.21 Miles) 00:38:39, Place overall: 2, Place in age division: 1
Easy MilesMarathon Pace MilesThreshold MilesVO2 Max MilesTrainer 1 MilesTrainer 2 MilesRacer MilesTotal Distance
5.500.001.256.210.000.000.0012.96

This the race that I first ran in HK.  I was in good shape a year ago but still coping with the change of training in the HK weather.  So this year my plan was basic, beat my time from last year and break 39:00 (last year did 39:04.  

Roberto gave me a ride. We had about 2k of walking, to registration, then to the course, then just 3k warm up.  I stretched and had lots of potty time.  I was concerned about my stomach because I had a royal stomach ache Friday afternoon/evening, that was mostly gone Saturday, but running hard can make latent problems roar.

At the start there was an elite section, and a wall of runners behind that section.  I had a bottle of cold water and Ali and I poured it down our backs to cool off. 29C, 65-70% humidity. Some light winds, but it is an out and back course.  They let the walls behind us close in with 5 minutes to go, and I thought there were some high school girls usurping some space in front of Alison Chow and I (she is the top marathoner in HK, did 2:48 twice last year, and we train together).  We were about four people back, so we swung around the edge and got a better position.  It turns out those two girls were Taiwanese who had travelled for this race, and they took off fast!  My goal was 3:55 pace going out, then a bit faster coming back.  I had negative splitted this course by 18 seconds a couple of months back.  Ali and I stuck together, and we were behind the two Taiwanese ladies.  

1k - 3:49, the taiwanese ladies were about 10 seconds ahead!, with the lead pack of guys

2k 3:51, I am running with Ali, trying to run smart, figuring if those ladies are that fast then I can't keep up anyway, and if they made a mistake they will come back to us.

3k - 3:55, I am not feeling that great, but plugging along, Frankie (one of Ali's pacing friends) kind of hanging onto Ali, so in 4th place, in the third K we see coach Paul who cheers us on. Water stop in this k, drank some and the rest down my back.

4k -  3:50, we catch one of the Taiwanese girls at the end of the 4th k or in the 5th k

5-6k 7:49, I forget to get the 5k mark because it is a 180 turn around and I guess that is just not an obvious enough place to hit a lap split.  Lame.  But if I say the 5th k was 3:55, then my first 5k would be 19:22 (adding two seconds for truncated splits).  I can start to see the #1 girl ahead, she is probably 25-30 seconds ahead at the turn around, perhaps 25 seconds at 6k. 

7k -3:55, I know I need to move to catch this #1 girl and that this k is the place to do it, but obviously my split is not exactly eye of the tiger, she is about 20-25 sec ahead with 3k to go

8k - 3:52, I am making up a little ground

9k - 3:51, at this point I know I won't catch her, but don't want to get passed and want to break 39 minutes

10k - 3:43, I start this k fast, kicking but at 500m I am a bit demoralized and tired, so I think I checked out from 500m to 300m, then picked it up again.  

Total time (official) 38:39.  The course record was 38:23, and the Taiwanese girl came in 19 sec ahead of me at 28:20, so she got $4000hkd bonus and more prize money (obviously) than me.

I had a chat with coach afterward and he made me promise to go with anyone who I race with, even Paula Radcliffe should she decide to run the AVOHK 5k series :D  I should have stayed closer in touch, but with the heat I didn't want to blow up.  So I met my time goal, but failed to race this race in the smartest way.  Some lessons we get to relearn over and over.  I am happy, though to be 25 sec better in this race than last year.  I hope I can keep it up.

After a short break, Ali (who came in third 50 sec behind me) and I did another 2k tempo, 4:02 ave pace, then 5k easy, then I ran to get my bag.  So almost 21k today. 

NB RC1300 Red/Black Miles: 12.962012 MTR Miles: 22.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments
From Smooth on Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 06:57:16 from 75.165.251.74

Awesome race, Micheel!!! CONGRATZ on the PR, way to crush your goal! :)

From Jake K on Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 08:15:05 from 67.177.11.154

Nice race Michelle - a good time improvement and some lessons learned for the future.

And I especially likes that you tacked on some "bonus workout" afterwards :-)

From runningafterbabies on Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 09:12:23 from 71.195.219.247

25 sec faster than last year is great! Next year go for the win plus the CR!

From Burt on Mon, Aug 27, 2012 at 16:10:16 from 72.223.86.148

Great report, Michelle. You have such a way with words.

From Clay on Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 08:11:21 from 71.195.211.7

Nice job kiddo!!!

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