Was shootin' for a 43:30, trying to pace at 6:45-7min mi.  I knew that would be a tall order for me.  I've done shorter intervals at that pace, and I managed to pace near that the first 10k of a 15k I ran in the late fall.   I knew it was possible but by no means easy. It was a bit of a bad omen when I had to stop to hit the bathroom 3 times on the way to the race (an hour drive). Maybe too much coffee? :/ did half my warm up and realized I would need to find the bathroom...again. My gut was not cooperating.  Finished my warm up and get to the start.  Bullhorn announcement..."due to technical difficulties the race will be delayed another 15 minutes". Tried to be optimistic thinking It as just another opportunity revisit the now all too familiar porta potty. The course was unmarked, except for the start and a big banner and timing mats at the finish which was located about 100meters past the start. The race was 1 loop forthe 5k and 2 loops for the 10k. So you take off and run through the finish line right away and keep going.  Well,  if this seems a bit confusing, it gets more so. I heard the announcement that the finish line was "a little farther down" and and when you loop around dont stop at the start line...keep going.  I missed the rest of the directions.  Gun fires and off we go.  I'm feeling great take off at a6:20-6:30 pace and very quickly slow myself down to my pace range.  The first mile I stuck at 6:55, then creeped back to 6:50. Came around the first 5k, through the start, through the finish, and on to the second loop. I was out there, lead female by far and not too many guys out in front of me.  I noticed past the finish line...which was past the start line...maybe another 50 meters down a girl to the left sitting in a chair with a stopwatch.  Didn't think anything of it.  Got to about 7k and side stitches kicked in. Dagnabbit. I was pacing nicely behind an older gentleman. They became intense forcing me to slow down.  Unfortunately, I had to stay slowed down, every time I amped up, so did they.  I thought, "maybe if I just run hard I'll run through them".  Nope. So I just ran as fast as my side would allow, not a second slower.  I knew it was coming...and sure enough my watch was dinging at me, "you are over your pace goal".  Dangit. I stopped looking at my watch when the cramping started hoping I could just hold an overall pace close to 7:00 or less.  I wanted to walk.  I decided my new goal was to give the absolute best effort I had.  I would run as hard as my side would let me and no less. The last 3 k seemed like an eternity.  Came through the start and ran through the big finish arch and timing mats and put my hands on my knees and got a bottle of water. Done!  44:50...not my goal of 33:30, but I gave my best effort and I was relatively happy.  I chatted with other runners, watched my husband run through the finish.  Then the guy that I was pacing behind came up and said, "what happened?...you didn't go all the way to the finish". Wha? Huh?  Remember the girl I mentioned that was sitting about 50 meters past the finish line...which was past the start line?  Well, the arch and timing mats were for the 5k finish.  The 10k finish was farther down, with a chalk line across the road and  the girl keeping track of the 10k finishers.  Awe man!  I took off and sprinted to the 10k finish.  6 minutes after stopping. 50:50 my official time.  My husband saw me tearing after him..he had just finished.  He thought I was just REALLY happy to see him finish.  I blew past him.  He was a little disappointed at first that I was not sprinting to him.  But he got HUGE satisfaction out of the fact that he "officially" beat me at the race.  I will never live this one down!  Long 10k race report and probably TMI, But, you should know by now to expect lots of words from Lori.
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