I signed up for this at the last moment, or at least on the last day before the $38 entry fee went up. Now that we live in a new house, the Eastside Beltline trail is one of my home routes.
I've gone the length of this section a few times with Mr. K. before -- it's about 1.7 miles. This time around, you start south of Inman street near the Krog Bar. As can be imagined, the Beltline trail is not very wide, causing huge gridlock at the beginning of the race.
No matter, I thought. I'll just take this easy.
By the time the Beltline hits Monroe Avenue, there was more running room. But then the race continued on the Beltline north of Monroe -- onto a rocky trail. Here, it was evident that people weren't used to running on this kind of surface. Luckily the wife opted not to run in this also -- it would have been a disaster for a running stroller. Maybe by this time next year the path will be paved but as it is right now really not a race for strollers.
After the dirt section, the course goes up an insane part of a hill for just a little bit until it can meet the turnaround. Then it's through the new part of Piedmont Park back to 10th Street and to the start of the Beltline.
I felt pretty good along this stretch, although at the very end I was outkicked by four guys. I'm not saying it would have happened before but I just didn't feel like I had much of a kick at the end.
Still it was my fastest 10K race since the February 2011 Charles Harris 10K, which I made a PR in. The postrace goodies were really great, and they included a pint of Sweetwater 420 beer and a turkey and avocado sandwich from evoo. Whole Foods made great fresh cranberry granola bars.
I think I'm hooked to this series -- just seeing the neat shirts from other races in the series made me jealous -- and I can't wait to see what's next.
Time: 10 a.m.
Temp: 49 degrees
Gear: T-shirt, short (Claddaugh 5K), shorts, Nike Air Pegasus+ 28/A.
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