My first 10k

Yes, I'm moving up the distance categories. Tonight I ran in the Friends of the W&OD 10k race from Vienna to Reston, and back. The goal: to complete the 6.2 mile course in under 1 hour. The challenges: Eye irritation caused me to have to throw away my right contact lens prior to the race, meaning that I ran 1/2 blind. The race was run at 6.30pm in fricking July in 85'+ temperatures!!! Nice and humid!!! Thirdly, dummy here played soccer for 2 hours in the morning on a 5-a-side game in 88' temperatures.

I actually ran the first half of the race very well, in fact - too well. At the 1/2 way marker I had taken 23 minutes, well on time for a sub 50 minute 10k. Unfortunately, it was at that time that my legs decided that the heat and humidity was just way too much, and I made the mistake of slowing down for a walk. I tried to start running again, but could only keep it up for short spurts. When I saw the 6 mile marker, I buckled down and started running, then I started striding, and before I knew it, the finish line was in sight... and there was the race clock reading... 59 minutes and a number of seconds that I couldn't see (remember I was 1/2 blind)... at the line I closed my right eye and squinted, there it read 59 minutes 42 seconds... I did it, I made my goal... next time I know I'll smash it.