White River 4 Mile Classic

Me (with my gap toothed smile!), Joan, and Jane
before the race












Start line











Patti and me before the race

Batesville mayor (he also rides a v-rod when he's not shooting guns at race starts!)











The temperature 6 minutes after the race started










Misting tent in the background


Hot and humid!!!!!!!!!! I like summer but not these 100 F+ days. Not sure what the temp was at 7:30 this morning but it wasn't pleasant. Oops, looked through James' pictures and it was 82F at 7:36 a.m. This was my 2nd race ever last year so I was hoping to beat my time of 39:17, managed to do it but I'm not necessarily happy with my race performance.

Met up with Jane and Joan before the race and we went for a nice easy warmup and I felt okay then. I had been cramping earlier in the morning but it usually goes away once I start running (and it did with the warmup). Lined up for the race and was still okay but I started feeling a little queasy and lightheaded for about the first 1/4 mile of the race, worked through that and did the first mile in 7:45--slightly too fast for what I wanted.

2nd mile was 17:00 even and this was the first water stop, walked through this, then started running again and within another 1/4 mile I had the stitch on my right side just below my ribs start in. This usually only happens when I'm underhydrated but this wasn't the problem today--I'm thinking I needed extra electrolytes. Started having to take walk breaks at this point.



3rd mile was 26:52, still within range of my goal time of 36:00 but that stupid stitch was sucking all my energy. I was getting slower and slower at this point. I did manage to run the last bit in but I was feeling awful, kept thinking they were moving the finish line further and further away (further, farther? too lazy to look up the proper usage). My legs felt good, even my breathing was okay, but the stitch/cramp/whatever was determined to do me in.

Final time was 37:16, slower than my goal time, but 2:01 minutes faster than my time last year of 39:17 at this race. It's my current 4 mile p.r. and I don't foresee doing any better at next Friday night's 4 miler in Jonesboro (going to be another sizzling race, they don't call it the Hot Summer Night 4-Miler for nothing).

Jane, Joan, and Patti all took home age group awards as did a couple of the guys, I was the only female Cruiser that didn't. It's ok though, even if I'd met my goal time I still wouldn't have placed, too many fast women in my age group right now. Carol was talking today about runners being the only people that don't mind turning 40 because that meant a new age group +masters which equals more chances at placing.

The White River Roadrunners of Batesville always put on nice, well-organized races but maybe next year they could flatten out some of those pesky hills, LOL!!!!! Signed up for the Sara Low Memorial 5k this morning--this is the hardest 5k I've ever done (not to mention my worst time!) but it's for a great cause and I'm determined to do better than last year.