Silvis Family Run 10k and Run with Carl race reports

So I never got around to doing a race report for the Silvis Family Run last week since I was in Tulsa all week for work, so I'll just combine the 2.

Silvis Family Run 10k

The is by far one of my favorite races for a couple of reasons, first and foremost the starting line is less than a mile from my house which is perfect I can get my warm up in while I travel to the race. I really dislike having to drive anywhere to run or bike, one of the main reasons I like running and cycling is the concept of traveling under my own power, but sometimes it can't be avoided, oh well. Another reason this is a favorite race is I run this course every week, and I know it better than any other race, I have "practiced" this race so often that when it comes time to run its almost like I'm on auto pilot and I just let muscle memory take over. Also this is a smaller race, less congestion and its a pretty good post race spread afterwards.

I went in to this race with one goal in mind, to push my self harder than I have ever pushed my self previously. I really wanted to test my limits and see if I could find that breaking point, or what I have referred to as "Blowing Up". I actually went into the race with an expectation that I would possibly fail to finish, and I was honestly ok with that mindset.

Well I did a pretty good job of that right off the start, I made the mistake of lining up behind a friend of Deanna's family Josh Sherrod (overall winner) and for a brief moment I thought I would try to run with him off the gun. HA!!! That lasted for all of 2 seconds until I couldn't see him any longer, so I settled into what I thought was comfortable pace, but was way faster than I should have been going, I was close to 6 min miles. I wasn't going to be able to sustain that pace for 2 miles let alone 6.2 and even though I wanted to push myself to my limits I didn't want to necessarily do it in the first mile.

So after backing off a bit and turning to climb the only hill, I started getting into a comfortable rhythm, I love running up hill for some reason, I am always able to pass people, even if they pass me again once it levels off, its like going up hill equalizes my size and speed disadvantage. I don't slow down as much going up hill as others do and that of course just fuels my competitive drive to pass people.

After reaching the top of the hill the course pretty much levels off and winds its way through my neighborhood, which is the best part, Deanna and the boys came out to see me run and made sure to run by and slap high fives to both boys. They get so excited watching daddy run, and it always gives me a burst of energy to see them cheering me on, I wish I could strategically place them throughout every race, so whenever I needed a pick me up they would be right there.

Nothing spectacular happened for the remainder of the race I passed some more people, ran mostly alone until the course doubles back and reconnects with the 5k run/walkers, which is right before the 5 mile mark. With a mile remaining I turned it up a bit, the other great thing about this race is that it finishes with a nice down hill then a short flat stretch and another short down hill to the finish line which I crossed at 46:06 which is another PR for me at the 10k distance, which is quickly becoming my favorite distance.


Deanna and the boys were waiting for me at the finish line which was awesome, we hung around for a bit at the post race but took off before the awards ceremony, I was pretty sure I didn't place...that was until later that week I received an email notifying me that I had placed high enough in my age division for a trophy. I figured I had snuck into 3rd place, its not a big race, but I'm not that fast either, well I went to pick up my trophy today and to my surprise I placed first in my age division 30-34. SWEET!!! This is the first time I've placed let alone won my age division, I'm pretty excited.

Run with Carl

Official race results can be found here.

This was the first time I've run this race, and I was pretty excited to do so, it is a race run in my hometown of Bettendorf and is a memorial run for Carl Schillig who was a local athlete from Pleasant Valley High School. In addition it also funds a 4 year grant for a local student from the Bettendorf/Pleasant Valley school who exemplifies Carl’s spirit through participation in school, sports and community and church activities the link to the website can be found here.

I really meant to just run this race as my weekly speed work and not race hard, especially after running so hard at the Silvis Family Run and just 1 day removed from my last long run of 19 miles on Saturday. But of course my competitive nature took over and I couldn't help myself, I didn't go for broke like Silvis but I did run hard finishing in 37:41 which was good enough for 17th in my age division.

This was a really nice race, that winds it way through Bettendorf along the bike path and behind Palmer hills golf course. Lots of spectators out in the residential areas cheering us on, which is always a plus.

Right after the 4 mile mark and going up the last hill a came up on a kid who couldn't be much older than 12 who was chugging right along, I had the hardest time catching up to him and when I did I noticed his bib # was 1045 which I immediately thought "This kid is probably 10 and he is making me feel like I'm 45 trying to catch him". I was able to finally pass him, hey I'm not exactly proud about it but he was like 20 years younger than me and probably 100 lbs lighter, I'll take my victories where ever I can. The end of the race is on a nice down hill that finishes up in the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center's parking lot. Deanna and the boys were once again at the finish line cheering me on, which put a huge smile on my face.

I ran into a couple of old friends that ran the race, as I waited for some other friends that were running together to finish. Didn't stick around for the post race awards this time, I already knew my placing thanks to Accu-Split and it was cold with the wind blowing.

All in all this was a great race and I will definitely be adding it to my yearly race schedule, maybe next year I can compete for a top placing in the 35-39 age division, my time this year would have been good enough for 4th or 5th so I think its very doable, good goal to shoot for until then...

...do today what others won't, so tomorrow you can do what others can't.