KBLHR 10K Race Report

Pre-Race
I got up at 5:15 and got myself ready, then I got Norah up and got her ready, and she, Jerry and I left the house around 6 am. Key Biscayne is a small island in Miami's Biscayne Bay, so it's about an hour's drive from our house. We got there a little after 7, and while Jerry tended to Norah, I went and got my race bib and timing chip, and went about the few pre-race standards, like lining up for the bathroom.

But, because Norah was along, there was one other pre-race necessity: Feed her. So, back in the car, I nursed her, and our timing was perfect: She ate and gave me about 10 minutes to spare before the race start. Here she is pre-race (bundled up because it was a "chilly" 60 degrees out -- one lady congratulated us on bringing the baby out and "braving the cold"): And here she and I are together pre-race; she's still in her jammies:

Race
The 5K and 10K started simultaneously at 7:45, which means that for the first mile, there was the usual congestive nonsense that seems to go hand-in-hand with a 5K: Children, walkers, and those unfamiliar with race ettiquette. But, a little past the conclusion of the first mile, the 10K course and 5K course split off from one another, and the crowd thinned out considerably.

Key Biscayne is mostly a state park, but it also consists of Key Biscayne Village, which is the residential half of the island and that consists of large, multi-million dollar mansions. So, the course wound out of the park and through these neighborhoods, so I was busy oggling the beautiful homes and their picturesque landscaping.

While it had been cool at the race's start, it quickly warmed to a comfortable 70 degrees, and it was sunny, clear, and there was a light breeze. Perfect running weather. So, I just ran at what was a comfortable pace, and enjoyed the views and the weather. The end of the race brought us back into the state park, and we ran the last mile along the ocean, so there were some scenic views there as well.

As I passed the 6 mile marker, the finish line came into sight, and soon thereafter I saw Jerry and Norah. Jerry was waving and holding Norah, who was smiling at every racer who went by her. Really, having them both there at the finish was one of the best feelings ever!

I crossed the finish line in 1:05:20. 20 seconds slower than I would have liked, but I honestly didn't mind. I ran a pretty consistent 10:25 pace, and if I hadn't done so much swerving in that first mile, I probably would have nailed that 1:05 goal.

Post-Race

Yes, I grabbed a beer.

But, I didn't end up drinking too much of it. I guess beer at 9 am is just not for me. Who knew? So, I passed on the unfinished beer to Jerry and drank a water instead.

Afterward, I tended to those typical post-race needs (bathrooms, ditch the shoes, change shirts, etc) and by then, Norah had conked out. Jerry reported that she seemed to enjoy the whole race atmosphere and that she'd been busy watching all the people and smiling at all those who stopped to tell her how cute she was. They also took some time to go down to the beach so Jerry could dip her toes into the Atlantic, so she was pretty tired by the time we were ready to head out.

She slept in the car on the way home, and we decided to stop at Denny's for a big breakfast. She smiled at all the old people in Denny's while Jerry and I gorged on our Grand Slams, and then we all headed home.

All in all, it was a fun, scenic race for my first race back, and it was a great morning with my family!