Running Down the Dream: Tiger Trot 15K Race Recap

When I planned the Tiger Trot 15K as part of my race schedule, it seemed like the perfect fit. It was a longer race 3 weeks out from my goal marathon so I could gauge my fitness, it offered prize money, and it was part of the Wichita Grand Prix Series that I stumbled into participating in this year. What I didn't think about when I planned this race was the other thing you do about 3 weeks out from your goal marathon, which is your longest long run! I had the same poor timing with my 10K race two weeks ago, and what my coach and I ended up with were two really long runs (22 and 24.3 milers) done on Wednesdays in order to get in both the long runs and races without combining the two (I did not want to make a 10K into a 22 miler or a 15K into a 24 miler, as I feel that both my races and long runs suffer when I do that with such long runs).

Albani's determination (I wanted this to be the featured photo on this post so it's out of order)

Recovering from my 24 miler reminded me that I was human! I was dragging for a couple of days after and questioning whether or not I should even run this race. I had raced a PR 10K on Labor Day - five days after my 22 miler - but this time I had more fatigue on my legs due going into my 24 more tired (due to this 17 mile workout being pushed closer to the 24 than originally planned and to a track workout that I did 2 days after my 10K PR) and with four days between the 24 and 15K. I wasn't sure how the race would go, but in the end I decided that at worst it would be practice running while tired. Also, since I’d only run two 15Ks ever, neither of which I was in good shape for, I could technically PR even if I ran marathon goal pace; provided I would still know I'd run faster 15K splits in many halves.

I felt fine on my warm-up on race day, but historically I've had every combination of good/bad warm-up and good/bad race, so this meant nothing. I lined up ready to see what happened, and on the starting line no one was moving up towards the front, and there was only one guy who looked like a serious runner. After the gun sounded, he and I were quickly out front at a pace I knew was conservative (6:30ish), along with the lead cyclist.

The male runner, Scott, made a comment about not getting his Garmin started, which started up a conversation, and he actually remembered me from running in high school (he graduated from an area school the same year as I did), hah. He said he was trying to run 6:15 pace, and I told him I just wanted to be under an hour and was coming off of a 24 miler so probably would try about 6:20 pace. I guess our talking made us speed up, because we hit the mile in 6:13 per my Garmin (about 6:16 for the course mile - our lead cyclist was taking and saying our course mile splits which was nice). The funny thing was that 6:15 felt like 6:30, and also felt like a manageable pace for the distance. I worried a bit about going out too fast, but also I knew that it was either stay with Scott and the cyclist, or run completely by myself, so I elected to stay with them and see what happened.

Mile 2 came in 6:08 both by my watch and the course splits, and it felt great! I started thinking that maybe this is just what it's like to run on a flat course. Scott and I continued on side by side, and during mile 3 we went back up an incline we had come down during mile 2 (guess that's why 6:08 felt conservative!) for a 6:21 Garmin split (I can't remember that course split read by the cyclist, but they were all relatively close).

Our 3 mile was 18:57 per the course mile markers, which made me a little nervous because that seemed fast for this length of race, but at the same time what we were running felt sustainable. I didn't want to drop off then! Mile 4 came in 6:10 and I kept rolling, but Scott started to fade. Since I was pushing into the lead I didn't worry about running without him since I would get the lead cyclist. The halfway point of the course, 7.5K was marked, and I took a look at my watch to see I was at 29:32, which gave me the idea of possibly running in the 58's! I got excited about that and came through mile 5 in 6:07, feeling good about maintaining for 4.3 more miles.

About halfway into the next mile, we made a turn into a gravel road. On the starting line, a guy had made a remark about wearing trail shoes for the gravel, and I thought he was talking about a short strip (probably 200 m) of gravel that we ran on to exit the wildlife park area at the beginning and then again to return to it at the end of the race. That strip of gravel was well-packed and fine, and I didn't notice it at all, so I also thought he was joking. Once we turned onto this dirt road, I learned that he was not kidding! The road was rocky with a lot of rivets and no smooth path. I saw my pace increase from 6:10ish when we made the turn onto the road to a 6:25 sixth mile. I didn’t feel like I was fading, but the road was just horrible. I knew that we had over 2 miles straight on it; ironically something I’d found very appealing about this course when looking at the map was the long straights, as I seem to get in my best rhythm on courses that aren’t turning all of the time, but I didn’t know that the longest stretch was on a crappy road. I just hoped that the road would improve as we continued on it.

Unfortunately, it didn’t improve. I still felt like I was running well, but my mile 7 Garmin split of 6:44 was really discouraging (this mile also had a bit of an incline, but nothing like I usually train on). My course split from the lead cyclist was 6:38, so that was a little more palatable but still a significant slow down. I like to negative split and I’m usually good at doing that in my tempos and most races, but I knew that this road was wrecking my chance at that. I just kept hoping I’d see the turn off of it soon!

We turned off of the gravel around 7.6, and once we were off I immediately felt 100 times better! The pavement was so nice! Since my 8^th mile was still mostly on it, my split was again slower (6:31), but I knew that I could drop my pace back down and that I would still be under an hour, although I suspected all dreams of seeing the 58s were out the window. At least I knew the course would be accurate since it was certified. I've gotten to where I only want to race on certified courses because most that aren't certified are off, some grossly so (which there is no excuse for, as a Garmin will get you close).

As I passed the final aid station and groups of volunteers directing us where to turn, they were all cheering for me by name. The best I can figure is that the lead cyclist had called my race number in and somehow my name had been communicated with the volunteers on the course. It was fun and helped me press on, because I was pretty tired at that point and had been running without another runner for over 4 miles! Although I was hurting, I knew I had enough in the tank to press on for a solid finish, and when I saw my 9^th mile split of 6:16 I felt better about things.

During the final half mile or so of the course, we entered the parking lot then ran in a back way into the wildlife park. I'd run this portion of the course on my warm-up so I knew where I was going and that the path was curvy (think zoo paths winding around exhibits). I also started coming upon 5K runners (the 5K had started about 20 minutes after the 15K, so these were runners coming in at about 40 minutes for the 5K), and the lead cyclist kept announcing that the lead 15K runner was coming through, which I really appreciated. Some of the 5K runners moved over for me and others didn’t; some actually moved to the wrong side into the tangent and made me run the longer route around the curvy path. In the final stretch to the finish I had to pretty much go off the path to get around them (see photo below), so I blame all of this for not having a stronger finishing sprint, but perhaps I just didn't have it due to starting more aggressively. My last bit was at 6:09 pace.

Running almost off the path to the right

As I came down the final stretch, I could see the finishing clock, but it said 42-something so I assumed it was on the 5K time (Jon later told me that it was also counting down instead of up, hah!) so I glanced at my watch to ensure I was going to be under 60. I could hear my excited family – my parents, Jon, and Albani were all there! – and they are the best cheerleaders. I was happy to see that I’d finished significantly under an hour with a 59:19 (6:20 pace per Garmin; 6:21 pace per the course). When I thought about that and how it was three 19:46 5K’s back to back, that made me really happy. Jon also pointed out that not that long ago I was trying to break 40 for the 10K, so this was a huge step! My Garmin had my 10K in this race at 38:56, which was neat, although it was probably 10ish seconds slower on the actual course so, alas, over 39 (it wasn't marked). I also think based on this that on a good course and good day with a taper, I could run 6:20 pace for a half, and I need to schedule one (ideally I would have run one before my marathon, but scheduling just didn't work with the marathon being in early October). That seems super intimidating though!

I grabbed a very quick drink, and then my family was trying to figure out where Albani was supposed to go for the start of the kids race in 10 minutes. I went and asked a volunteer, and we barely saw the overall male finish in 1:00:24 before we were off to a different area for the kids’ start (how do families function without moms, right?). We got her to the start, then we had to hightail it back to the same finish line for Albani’s finish. She came from behind to (in my opinion) edge another girl at the finish line! I got the wonderful finishing picture above of her by hopping over a rope near the line. The kids race didn’t do timing chips, placings, or competitive awards (they gave everyone medals as they finished), but still in my opinion Albani won the female category – on her birthday too!

Then I took off on my official cool-down before coming back to stretch and eat a bit before the awards started. I won some cash, which is always nice, and we also got 3 pairs of Feetures socks in the give-aways (all size large, which are best suited for Jon but I can make work; Albani also swears that her pair fits her, haha!).

I was extremely happy about this race, and the course would be pretty perfect if the city would pave the dirt road stretch. I know the race director and told him exactly that, haha! He put on a wonderful event though; I would recommend this one for sure. I feel confident that I could’ve maintained 6:10-6:15 pace on miles 6-8 had they been on the road, which would have put me comfortably in the 58's (next goal!). It was a good confidence boost to do this so soon after a 24 miler and within a 61 mile week, and in still warm-ish temperatures (high-60s). I am hoping that marathon morning brings the 40s, which will be a huge help!

I’m so thankful to have two solid races and PRs under my belt leading up to my marathon. I’d already mentally adjusted to perhaps not having a great 15K (my non-optimism mentioned here), and I’d made peace with that and wasn’t going to let it jade me, so having it go well really helped me. Now I need to live in a bubble until then to avoid all germs, injuries, etc.! I can't believe it's less than 20 days away!

Update: I just found out I ran the sixth fastest 15K ever by a female in Kansas, and the third fastest 15K ever run by a female age 35-39 in the state of Kansas! See records here.