Last Updated on November 8, 2014 by Heather Hart, ACSM EP, CSCS
Before I get started, I have three prediction run shout outs:
1) To the woman I was talking to about the Newtons & Vibrams who asked if I was the one with the blog: I feel so rude for not ever actually introducing myself! Hi, I’m Heather! It was nice to meet you and I hope you had a good run! I will see you at the next race! (i blame all of the shivering for being so impolite, silly me thinking it was a great day to wear my running skirt, haha)
2) To Christine, who came in second fastest female, while pushing 100 lbs worth of kid and jog stroller, and especially for passing the chick wearing the ipod. Rules said NO IPODS! (for prediction purposes, keep reading and you will see why before anyone hates on me about the ipods, haha).
3) To Dawn: You did it mama! Keep up the good work, you will run Cooper River with NO problem!
And now…on with the blog!
Finishing results:
24:02
8th runner overall
4th woman overall
1st age group
no awards because I was waaaaaay off of my predicted time!
This morning I ran the Grand Strand Running Club’s 3rd annual “Prediction Run”. A 5k, where upon registration you predict your finish time. NO watches, garmins, cell phones, ipods, or anything else that might give you a heads up to your pace was allowed. Even your finishing time at the finish line was kept secret until awards later on!
Almost a month ago,when I registered, I was feeling fast and frisky. I thought I’d shoot for a P.R. of 22:10 (P.R. is currently 22:25). Well that goal went out the window between finals, then spending the week in NH stuffing my face and not running much, followed by returning home and continuing the trend, haha.
Regardless, I was excited to race.
It was a small race, maybe around 85 ish people? The cost of entry was 5 or more cans of food to be donated to a local church’s food bank. The course was almost 3 full loops around the 1.08 mile path around the pond at the old Air Force Base/now Market Commons (I can’t keep track of what everyone is calling it these days!) Cement (sidewalk) and FLAT. After the gun went off, there were two women ahead of me. Within the first few hundred yards I passed the first one. Came up upon the second one after maybe a quarter mile. I wasn’t trying to pass either, just running at my pace. Half a mile in, I started wondering if I was going WAY too fast. I felt ok…I was pushing a little bit, but this WAS a race after all. I just went with it. It was so weird not having that Garmin on my wrist to let me know if I was starting out too fast or too slow. Wow I rely on that thing way too much.
I spent the rest of the race speeding up, slowing down, trying to find a happy, yet still race pace. Oh, and I didn’t freaking walk. That’s my “Achilles heel” if you will with 5k’s, I tend to go like a bat out of hell at the start and burn myself out by the last loop, which makes me feel like so lame, that I can run 15 miles straight without stopping, yet I couldn’t run a 5k race without a walk break, ha! Anyway, glad those days are over. Some ladies passed me, I passed a few back. The very last 100 yards I sprinted to pass two ladies who had passed me earlier, and wondered why they made no effort to try and keep up. They weren’t pushing, really, I knew they had more in them. One even yelled to me “good strong finish!!” So heck, if they wanted to give me 4th place female, I’ll take it.
Turns out they knew more than I did, and your place nor speed didn’t matter, haha.
As I mentioned, it was a prediction run. The overall winners and age group awards were based on how close you came to your PREDICTED time. So, me being just under two whole minutes off my predicted time did NOT leave me in the running for an award. As you can imagine, my inner competitive brat was temporarily a little pissy about this, but she got over it really quickly.
It was amazing how close some people came to their predicted times! Within seconds. And the overall winner predicted her time EXACTLY. How do you do that? I guess it’s either some serious consistency with your training runs, luck, or a little bit of both! I am all over the place with my pace, even with the Garmin on, so I really had no chance at this one, haha!
Regardless, it was a good, (cold), fun race, for a GOOD cause, and was an AMAZING way to start off my New Year!
I hope you all have had a fantastic start to 2010! Happy running, my friends!
Heather Hart is an ACSM certified Exercise Physiologist, NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), UESCA certified Ultrarunning Coach, RRCA certified Running Coach, co-founder of Hart Strength and Endurance Coaching, and creator of this site, Relentless Forward Commotion. She is a mom of two teen boys, and has been running and racing distances of 5K to 100+ miles for over a decade. Heather has been writing and encouraging others to find a love for fitness and movement since 2009.
Michelle
Sounds like a neat race! Congrats to you!
Mel -Tall Mom on the Run
That race sounds fun and maddening LOL!! Congrats.. I love love love the picture you are so cute. Happy 2010 HEather.
Are you on Facebook?? I was going to try and STALK you there..
Kelly's runner
Heather,
No watches. That would be soooo hard to do.
I could run without my garmin, but I don’t know if I could do that. I am seriously addicted to knowing how much longer I might have to suffer. LOL.
Congrats on your first race in 2010!
Denise
Our local running store has prediction runs. I was 13 seconds off the other night. The top winner was dead on!
NEPTUNEGIRL
Hi Heather. I was the one you were talking to about the Newtons and Vibram shoes. And I did not at all think you were rude. I think everyone was just freezing from being sweaty in the cold! I am way slower than you but I can’t seem to run without my Garmin either! It was a fun way to start the year. I read your blog to give me running inspiration. I think Terry Layton had told me about it. Here is to a great 2010 for running! Pat Macc.
Jessica Star
I with you on the Garmin addiction. And well done on the race! I love the woman who came in 2nd female with the jogging stroller. Perfect.
Velma
Way to go! Happy 2010!
SueMac
I’ve never heard of a prediction race…. that is the neatest thing ever! I would love to do one now…. let me see if there are any close by!
Anne Marie
Cool idea! and love the Newtons!:)
And I think you are going to have a fabulous 2010 race year…;)
Happy New Year!
RunningLaur
Congrats on the speedy race, even if it wasn’t as predicted! I think I might have stashed a secret Garmin in the back of my sports bra or something – just to see my pacing afterward!
EricaH
What a neat idea for a race and a great way to ring in the new year. Congrats on a wonderful run.
Jess
That sounds fun! I’ve never done a prediction run, but I’ve heard of others doing it.
Nice job even though you didn’t PR! That is still super fast!
cath
What a great idea for a race! Thanks for sharing your year-i have enjoyed it! I’l be following you for this new year..inspiring!
shellyrm
Sounds like a neat race. I’ve never done a prediction race before.
Mama
I could not predict a run at all. Cute picture!
MCM Mama
TMB
Awesome time! Congrats on starting the year off on such a good foot!
I would love to try a prediction race. Sounds like a blast.
Rachel
i love the idea of predicting your own time – what a fun twist on regular races! i too am all over when it comes to my pace, thank goodness i have my garmin : ) great job on the race though!!
Kerrie T.
I love your recaps! They’re always so fun. I just got a Garmin, so I haven’t developed a dependency yet. Still, I don’t think I could predict my time. Cool idea!
Jo Lynn
You still had an awesome time!
I have a friend who is super speedy fast and pushes two kids in a stroller. I really don’t like when she blows past me and waves. Grrrr.
Happy New Year Heather! 😉
IronLinae, PhD
A great way to start the new year. Congratulations.
robinbb
Cute picture! Congrats on the race…..24 minutes after the holidays is very good. I have always wanted to do a predict your time race.
And Vermont City Marathon is an awesome marathon. There is only 2 hills that are even worth worrying about. The first is early on and and is easy because you are still fresh. The second is at mile 15 but is so fun because that is where the crowd is…the rest of the marathon is flat flat and easy. I highly recommend it, I will go back every year.
Holly
Good work Sister! You’ll dial in your pace and next year you’ll take home some hardware!
Lisa
I’d probably do well predicting my 5K time, my 5Ks are always within a minute of each other.
Well done, even if your prediction was way off!
Kati
nice run! I love the idea of it, but I am all over the place with my times too so I would never win and darn it 4th place o.a. female warrents an award! 🙂 Happy New Year!
lindsay
i’m terrible at judging by feel… i’ll think i’m moving along at a good pace and look down and garmin will tell me NOPE, DEFINITELY NOT! lol. i’d be bad at this game 🙂 but it sounds like fun!
C.G. the Foodie
I love the idea of a predicted run. That sounds like fun!
Congrats on being 1st in your age group even if you didn’t get an award!
Becca
Awesome run! This year I want to break a 25 min 5k this year!