Last Monday I kicked off Memorial Day by running a brand new race to me – the Ringing in Hope 10k. Although running races put on by Potomac River Running, a DC area running store, is far from new for me, I’d never previously run this race, or in the neighborhood where the race was held. This race initially appealed to me since I was in search of a late Spring/early Summer 10k race to run, with the hope of PRing so that I could earn a new proof of time to submit to runDisney for November’s Wine and Dine Half Marathon (the proof of time deadline is at the beginning of August). Then when I looked a bit more into this race, and discovered that the proceeds from this race benefit combat veterans and their families, the race appealed to me even more. As a veteran’s wife and member of Team RWB, I’m always looking for ways to help give back to veterans and their families.
The race started and finished at One Loudoun, which is a town center area in Ashburn, Virginia. It was an easy 25 minute drive from our house, and I was excited to not only run a race in a new area but also bring Preston and little man along with me.
With little man prior to the start of the race
Race morning started off with the 5k at 8 a.m., followed by the 10k ten minutes later. It was exciting to cheer the 5k runners on before I lined up at the start line for my own race. Prior to the race I had studied the course map, and was aware that each turn of the race course took runners to the right, until the last quarter mile or so of the race. I also knew that this course had rolling hills. Knowing both of those things, I felt well prepared to successfully run this race.
For all of my long runs of this past half marathon training cycle, I used run-walk intervals of 4 minutes 15 seconds of running followed by 45 seconds of walking. Since this race was my last long training run before ZOOMA Annapolis, I decided to start the race off with those intervals. Since I felt great during the first two miles, I decided after passing the mile two marker to change my intervals to 4:30 of running followed by 30 seconds of walking. As I continued on for the next three miles, I still felt great. None of the small hills got the best of me, and I did my best on the small downhills to not run too quickly. Since I felt as great as I did and knew that I was pushing myself for a PR, I decided for the last mile to cut my walk interval down to only 15 seconds. I had never done this before, and I know that you should never try anything new on race day, but I thought, why the heck not. Since I was trying to push myself as fast as I could, I thought it was worth a shot. And in the end it paid off.
I’m not sure how I managed a 9:14 minute mile!
As I made my way back towards the town center, with just over a quarter mile in the race, I started to push my speed as fast as I could. By the time I made it to the finish line, I felt like I was sprinting. I saw one of the race photographers, and though I usually try to smile for race pictures, I was so focused and determined to get across the finish line that I felt like I couldn’t waste any energy by smiling.
Photo Credit: PR Races
I crossed the finish line at 1:01:01, which was a 55 second PR. While 55 seconds doesn’t seem like much, it dropped my average 10k PR pace from 9:59 to 9:50, which is significant when it comes to submitting these race results as my new proof of time for November’s half marathon.
Immediately after crossing the finish line I met back up with Preston and little man. Since I knew that I had PRed, I suggested that we wait around a bit to see the official results. While we waited for them to be posted, I grabbed water, a banana, and a granola bar. Like at other Potomac River Running events, there was more than enough food and water to go around for everybody. Firehouse Subs was one of the race sponsors, and was even handing out subs to runners to enjoy. Although I wasn’t hungry enough to eat a sub, Preston was more than happy to enjoy one for me.
At the finish line celebrating a new 10k PR
All in all, it was another great race experience with Potomac River Running. I cannot speak highly enough about this race series. If you live in the DC area, I highly recommend checking their races out.
QOTD: Do you prefer local races or larger, well known races?
Congrats on your PR Kathryn and running great splits. It’s always great to have a new time to submit to runDisney! If I am going for PR, I usually like the local races better. But my favorite races are the travel ones, especially going to big cities so there are plenty of fun restaurants and things to keep my mind occupied other than the race.
There are so many reasons to love both local as well as destination races.
Congrats on a PR and having a new time to submit for Disney!
Thanks Meranda!
That sounds like a fun race! And congrats on that PR!!!! Yay for a new time to submit to runDisney!!!
Thanks Mindy!
Great job on that PR! So funny that you didn’t want to smile–altho that picture is the very definition of intensity! Smiling always makes a run feel easier to me!
It usually does for me too, but at that point I was so focused on booking it to the finish line.
Awesome race! Gotta love having a shiny new PR for Disney proof of time. Love the picture with your son at the starting line! 😀
Thanks Jennifer!
Congratulations! 55 seconds is a big time difference in a 10km, that’s awesome!
Thanks Jen!
Congratulations! 55 seconds is a BIG DEAL! You were seriously kicking butt and taking names. Love the race photo! You were in the zone!
Thanks Tia!
Boom to yet ANOTHER PR! You are KILLING IT
Thanks Suz!
Congratulations on your PR! You’re so right that when it comes to proof of time, every second matters – and for a 10K I think 55 seconds is a big deal 🙂
Thanks, and yes, every second matters.
Great job! I tried new things on my first 10k to try to have as good a time as I could get for Disney. I figure if you’re feeling good, why not adjust to feel instead of intervals.
Thanks Lesley!
congrats on your PR! I actually ran the Ringing in Hope 10K on New Year’s Eve. I loved it. Same site and probably course as well.
Thanks Mar!
CONGRATS!! 55 seconds is huge! I love smaller local races, but in a city, they never really seem all that small haha.
I know what you mean.
What a great race for you and a great cause!!
I love running smaller local races. I enjoy connecting with the local running community and meeting other runners in the city.
I do as well.
ummm…55 seconds is almost an entire minute! That’s great! Congrats 😉
Thanks Kimberly!
I love local races! This sounds like a great one and I love finding new neighborhoods
I do too.
Great job! Nothing like a new PR!
Thanks Heather!
I’ve done the New Year’s race on the same course. It’s hilly and not that exciting. Great job on the PR
It actually wasn’t as hilly as I was expecting it to be, but maybe that’s because I was so focused on mentally and physically preparing for ZOOMA.
Congratulations, you did a great job! It’s always fun when you finish out stronger than you started. That photo of you is great! I really enjoy smaller races, but they have to be well-organized!
Agreed, and that’s one of the big reasons why I loved Potomac River Running races. They are some of the most well organized races that I’ve run.
Congratulations! That’s incredible! I’m so happy for you!
I like both kinds of races. We have a fantastic local race community here and I love being a part of it. However, I also like the RnR and runDisney and similar events for their ambiance and massiveness. It’s good for me to have a mixture.
I like running a variety of races as well. It helps to keep running interesting.
Congrats on the PR! That’s a great race photo, you look so determined 🙂 I really feel like I love both smaller, local events and big races like Disney and RnR. I do have to say my small races are all 5ks or 10ks. I don’t know how I’d feel about a longer race as a small, local event.
I’d imagine that local half marathons don’t have the crowd support that the larger races do, which might make them more of a mental challenge.
DC Has such a good race scene! congrats on really rocking it and doing negative splits!
Thanks Juliana!
Congrats!!! I definitely love smaller races, it is nice change from the huge ones and if you do them in the same area you get to meet a lot of local runners.
Agreed.
55 seconds is a lot in the running world! Congrats!
Thanks Melissa!
Congrats on the PR!!! 10K is a tough distance for me, idk when I will PR in that one haha but you are truly an inspiration!
Aww thanks!
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