Jingle Bell Rock & Run 10K

I ran the Ringing in Hope Jingle Bell Rock & Run 10K on Saturday morning. The last time I ran this race, the lead pack took a wrong turn, resulting in a nearly 7.4-mile 10K. This was back in 2023, and my average pace was 6:41. I had been extremely pleased with my ability to hold that pace for longer than a 10K!

This year my goal was to run a sub 6:45 pace, which, in retrospect, was probably too soft. My Turkey Trot pace from just two weeks prior had been 6:34 and I ran that very hard, at 100% effort. The course profile was similar, too. So that's where my sub 6:45 goal pace was coming from. 

Before the Race
The race started at 9:00, which is later than I am used to running. I had about 5 almond butter-filled pretzels two hours pre-race and a packet of UCAN energy powder an hour before the race. My original plan was to wear a tank top and arm sleeves, but then the forecast was looking to be just a few degrees colder, which was my tipping point for short sleeves and arm sleeves. I almost never wear long sleeves because I feel like that doesn't allow enough air into my core. I once ran a half marathon in 29 degree temps in long sleeves and ended up rolling up the sleeves because I got too warm!

Greg and I arrived at 8:00 and met up with my friend Stephanie. I drank my UCAN upon arrival and then we went to get our race bibs. We were able to go inside a church to pin our bibs on and use the bathroom. Stephanie and I warmed up together for just over 2 miles. I always prefer to warm up with a friend because it takes my mind off the race and prevents me from getting too anxious! She would be running the race as a workout and I suggested that she run alternating kilometers at 10K effort and marathon pace effort. I've done that before during a 10K race and it's fun. I had a Maurten caffeinated gel during the warm up, around 15 minutes before race start.

After the warm up, we went back to our cars and I ditched my jacket. Even though the forecast had called for cloudy skies, the sun was shining brightly which once again made me question if I should have worn a tank top. But I liked my "ugly sweater" look. For shoes, I opted for the Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 PB. Other contenders were the adidas Adios Pro 2 (I still have one pair left) and the New Balance SC Pacer 2. I felt like the Brooks had the most "pop" and I think that the 10K might be their sweet spot for me. I used them on a long run once and I felt like they were too stiff/firm once I got past 10 miles. They performed well in the Firecracker 5K and the Donut Dash, although I might have preferred more ground feel for a 5K. 

Weather
It was 30 degrees, rising to about 33 by the end of the race. Almost no wind, and partly sunny. It became more cloudy as we ran. I give this a 10 out of 10 on my personal race scale. Not comfortable before and after the race, but ideal for a fast time. The following morning would bring snow and bitter cold temps, so we lucked out!

Miles 1-2
The race started and I went out at a pace that felt hard but sustainable. I wasn't worried about taking a wrong turn this time because they had a lead biker for the runners to follow. I knew that Greg would be taking photos about half a mile into the race. I looked around me and I realized that I was in second place and not far behind first. Since there was a potential for me to break tape, I yelled out to Greg to take the
next set of photos at the finish line (as opposed to our original plan which was before the final turn). 

I had studied the course elevation profile and I knew that the first mile was net downhill. I had run a sub 6:30 mile here in 2023 so I knew not to freak out by a fast start. 

I settled into my race pace during the second mile. The course was rolling hills but none of them were terribly steep - just long. And because I recently moved to a hillier neighborhood and was accustomed to hills, they seemed much more manageable than they had two years back. I also credit Pilates for glute and hamstring strength. 

I was in second place and my pace felt appropriate for a 10K. The leading woman was about 5-6 seconds ahead of me, and I figured I wouldn't try to pass her until the last mile. At that point, I felt like I could have surged and run alongside her, but I was fine letting her lead. It was early and I didn't want to wear myself out just yet!

Mile 1: 6:29
Mile 2: 6:40

Miles 3-4
I felt really strong. I wouldn't say "energized" but I was running faster than goal pace and it felt manageable. It was one of those races where I didn't feel super peppy, but I felt like the pace I was running was appropriate, and I could tolerate the discomfort for a while. I think this is the big difference between a pace of 6:30 and 6:40 for me. 6:40 is uncomfortable but it's something I can tolerate for a long time. 6:30 feels like I am redlining the whole time.

I continued to focus on my form and getting to whatever the next landmark was, like the top of the hill, the street sign, etc. I occasionally glanced down at my Garmin, thinking my pace was faster than my perceived effort, which is a good thing! 

I knew that miles 4-5 would be the hardest of the race with the most climbing. I continued to run based on effort. Unfortunately, I was not closing the gap with the woman ahead of me.  I think the closest I may have gotten to her was 3 seconds, but she continued to be about 5 seconds ahead of me. 

Mile 3: 6:39
Mile 4: 6:44

Miles 5-6
With just over two miles to go, I knew I would beat my sub 6:45 pace goal. Because that goal was likely too soft, I wasn't motivated to push much harder. I do think I had more to give during these final miles, but I was already uncomfortable and I had no desire to go deeper in the pain cave. If I had set a more aggressive goal then I would have had more motivation, but my mindset was "just keep doing this- you are fine" instead of "empty the tank and give it everything you've got". 

When I finished the 5th mile, I knew it would be smooth sailing and a mostly downhill finish. This is when the woman ahead of me widened the gap. I started to run faster, but so did she. Unfortunately, I am not a quiet or stealth runner. I make grunting noises so other runners definitely know if I am coming up behind them. No doubt she knew I was there. 

The more she widened the gap, the less motivation I had to catch her. I admittedly did not try as hard as I could have because I didn't feel 100% energized. I felt strong running at the effort level I had been running at for the first 5 miles, but I didn't have that extra gear. 

Mile 5: 6:41
Mile 6: 6:34

Weaving through 5K runners

The Finish
The way the finish was set up was not ideal. I like to be able to see the finish from far away, but in this case we ran around a curve to get to it. The road narrowed substantially and as it narrowed, the 10K race joined up with the 5K race. The 5K had started 10 minutes after the 10K so I was running with 31-minute 5K runners, which is a very popular time! I had to weave around many other runners, several of them children who were not running in a straight line. The road was curved and narrow, and I was weaving through 5K runners, making this finish very chaotic. 

The last 0.3 according to my watch was a 6:21 pace, and I do think I could have run it faster without all the obstacles. 

My official time was 41:39, and I was the second overall female finisher. The winner was 18 seconds ahead of me. 

After I crossed the finish line, I met up with Greg and we waited to watch Stephanie finish. She was the 4th female finisher, even though she was using it as a workout and not racing full out!

Stephanie and I cooled down for about a mile and a half and then waited for the awards. It was a fun morning!

Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
This was my 4th fastest lifetime 10K, which I am very pleased with. I wish I had known going into the race that I was in close-to-PR shape, because I would have tried harder to be closer to 41:00, and maybe I could have won with the right motivation and mindset. Unlike the Turkey Trot, I was not dry heaving at the end, and I still felt energized during the cool down.

It's odd that my 6:34 Turkey Trot pace felt twice as hard as this 6:38 average pace. It's probably because I had a true lack of speed work leading up to the 5K, and it was a shock to my system. As I said above, the course profiles and weather for both races were similar. Unless running in below freezing temperatures really is my super power! 

I am a little bummed that I didn't have it in me to push harder at the end and try to win the race, but you can't always bring 100% to every race. I think I ran this race at maybe 93-94%. Plus, it had been nearly two years since I ran my last 10K!

On the plus side, I know that my Indianapolis marathon training is still benefiting me, and I can continue to build on it. 

Thankful for Trotting

Every year that I run a Turkey Trot is a year that I am thankful for! I recently ran my 20th Turkey Trot, and my 16th "Virginia Run" Turkey Trot. I'm a few weeks late in blogging about it because I have been having trouble seeing words my computer monitor. (That's another post coming at some point).

At three weeks post marathon, I wasn't too optimistic about this race. Add on the two weeks of zero running prior to the marathon and it felt like forever since I had run under a 7:00 pace. I didn't have a goal time, but I knew I wanted to give it everything I had.

Before the Race
We used to live about 10 minutes away from the race but we have since moved farther. There are several Turkey Trots closer to our new home, but I like the tradition that comes with this particular Turkey Trot. I have run it every year since 2006 except for 2019-2022 when they briefly stopping hosting the race. To be 100% accurate, the race came back in 2022 but I was unaware of it.

We gave ourselves about 30 minutes to drive to the race. I had retrieved my bib the day before so I wouldn't have to worry about it on race morning. I got out of the car, made my way to the porta potty, and then resumed the warm up. 

It was 38 degrees, partly sunny, and 4-5 mph winds. On my personal weather scale I give this a 10 out of 10. Ideal! The Turkey Trot is the only race of the year which almost always has predictably good weather. Summer races are out. Early fall is hit or miss. Spring is hit or miss. Late fall is relatively stable. I wore shorts, a tank top, arm sleeves and the New Balance SC Pacer 2. This shoe is one of my favorites for the 5K distance.

During my warm up, I had a caffeinated Maurten gel 15 minutes before race start. I gave my jacket to Greg at around that same time and he walked to his first viewing point for photos. I miss the days when we both ran this race, but his long-term injury has prevented him from running as much as he used to.

I lined up about 4 rows back and felt ready to go. My plan was to not look at my watch very much and just run HARD.

Mile 1: 6:28
I would have predicted a first mile time of around 6:28, only it looks better on paper than it actually was. Based on the granular data from my watch, and also on how I felt, I ran this more like a 6:10 half mile followed by a 6:50 half mile! I got pulled out WAY too fast. I was focused on my leg turnover and I started moving them way too quickly out of the gate. By the time I reached the first mile marker I was the 2nd or 3rd female. I don't quite remember!

Mile 2: 6:43
This mile contains a notable hill, so it's not that much of a drop-off, but I felt like I was running much harder than a 6:43 average. One woman passed me during this mile, which motivated me to keep up. I don't remember much else about this mile other than a spectator telling me that I had great form. 

Mile 3: 6:35
Once again we have a mile that looks good on paper, but there was a net elevation loss, so I would have hoped to run around 6:25. I kept trying to catch the woman ahead of me who wasn't all that far ahead, but to no avail. I am sure it didn't help that I was panting so loudly that she knew I was trailing her closely. I'm not exactly a stealth runner. 

Final Kick: 5:54 pace
I didn't have much left in my legs and this was a true battle, but I was happy to find another gear. After crossing the finish line I began dry heaving. So there's no doubt I gave 100% effort.

Official Finish time: 20:29.  

I won my age group (out of 47 runners) and was the 4th overall female. I was 4 seconds slower than last year. This was my 4th fastest Virginia Run Turkey Trot, with 2018, 2017, and 2024 being 1st - 3rd. 

Afterwards, I chatted briefly with the 3rd place woman who ran 4 seconds faster than me. I knew her sister, who was also at the race.

Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
I'm pleased with my performance because I know I worked very hard and gave 100% effort. I wish had paced it better at the beginning and hadn't decided to ignore my watch entirely. As I said at the beginning, I am always thankful to show up to these turkey trots healthy and able to run at a high intensity. 

Here is a graph of my times at this race over the years. I wonder if I will ever break 20:00 again on this course. I was thrilled when I did it at the age of 40, and would love to experience that again.