Let’s Go 510 10k 2014 Race Review

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10k race report, Brazen Racing, Golden Gate Fields, Lets Go 510, Lets Go 510 Race Report, motivation, Race Report, Race Review, Represent Running, Running

This is my second year doing Let’s Go 510, which is part of the Run the Bay Challenge put on by Represent Running.  I haven’t signed up for the 2 other races that would get me the awesome Golden Gate Bridge medal, but I’m thinking about it for sure.

I had a great time last year doing this race, CLICK HERE for that race review.  It was a a pretty easy decision to do it again this year, Brazen Racing, which is another partner that puts on this race is one of my favorite Bay Area race companies, so not hard to convince me to do this one.  I love the course, I love the medal, I LOVE the t-shirt, a good friend of mine was doing the 5k, I had 7 miles on my marathon training schedule for that day anyway and I freaking LOVE the t-shirt.  It’s the little things.

I woke up the morning of the race to the sound of rain.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I love rain and I know we NEED rain, but dangit, running in the rain is not my favorite.  I got ready hoping it would clear by the time the race started

I got to Golden Gate Fields around 9am to pick up my packet and get ready.  I picked everything up (this was my first race running with my new married last name, woo-hoo).  The t-shirt was so flipping cute!

Love!

I took some pictures with my friend Cristalle who was running the 5k.  I was so excited to have a friend to talk to before the race.  It was super fun taking pictures with her and being silly, jumping up and down and warming up prior to the start.  Yay for friends!

They had the wheelchair division start first then had the National Anthem play and then off we went, 10am on the dot!

The first part of the course was a nice big hill to get those glutes going.  Thanks for that, race organizers.  Then it was onto a trail towards the Berkeley Marina.  They don’t lie when they say you are running on all types of terrain on this course.  We went from asphalt to dirt and trail to mud.

Luckily, there was not a lot of fog, so the views were amazing.  The Golden Gate Bridge and the SF cityscape is always beautiful to look at.  I love views on a run!  Such a nice distraction.

Enjoying the course

Around mile 4.5, the rain came back.  I was thinking…am I sweating a lot…or is it raining?  Oh yes, it was raining for sure!  There was also a big patch of mud right before the final water stop.  I did a little tip toe dance to get through it without falling on my face.  Nothing like a little mud to make your run more interesting.

Back up the hill we went up at the beginning and towards the race track to finish off the race.  I knew I was on pace for a PR, so I tried to keep the pace nice and steady.  The hard part is, once you’re on the race track, it is difficult to stay on pace.  It’s so soft and muddy, I had to tip toe on that too!  But I finished AND heard my new last name announced when I crossed the finish line.  I got the best finish line pictures I have ever gotten.  BONUS:  all the photos were FREE!

This is a happy finish…lol

YAY!  OH, and I got a PR, but over 2 minutes.  Whoop, whoop!

Finished!

After, I found my friend, who had a pretty good run herself,we got some yummy food.  Brazen Racing ALWAYS has fabulous food and fabulous medals.  Such a fun day.  Once we got some cute pictures, it was time to leave.

YAY!

My next race is Big Sur Half Marathon and I just finished week 7 of my 18 week marathon training.  Almost halfway there!!

QOTD: Which race have you done that has your favorite views??  Do you like choosing races in beautiful places or are you too in the zone to care that much about race course views?