Too Hot to Handle Race Recap

Yesterday was Run Project’s Too Hot To Handle race at White Rock Lake in Dallas, TX.  They offer 15k and 5k race distances.  As a little background on this race, Too Hot to Handle 2012 was my first competitive 5k that inspired the next year of my training.  Before this race last year, I had trained for two half marathons and one 10k, but my boyfriend convinced me it was time to get faster.  And I have!

Back to this year… I registered on-line about a month before the 5k race. Packet pick-up was across the metroplex at a local running chain called Run On!  Multiple packet pick-up locations made it really convenient to get my race bib.  I was able to stop by on my way home from work and collect two race packets for my boyfriend and me without waiting in line.  I was a little surprised that my race packet only included a bib, a hat, and a Chipotle BOGO coupon.  I asked the volunteer who was distributing packets and he explained that this year the t-shirts would be given out after the race. Incentive to finish!

On race morning we left extra early because I was worried about parking.  I drove myself, Daniel, my friend Melissa, and her cousin.  Yay carpooling!  We got to Norbuck Park at 6:30 am -- an hour before the scheduled race start.  I ended up parking on the shoulder of Buckner Road, and I’m pretty sure we walked less than 100 yards to the starting line.  It was a pretty awesome parking spot.  Way closer than last year.

It was still pretty dark when we got to the race and I assumed it was because the sun wasn’t out yet.  I applied sunscreen, visited the port-o-potties, and ran around the nearby baseball fields for warm-up.  During my warm-up jog, I began to realize why it was so dark.  It was raining!!  Something I never expected at “Too Hot To Handle” was temperatures below 80 degrees, cloud cover, and a light rain.  It was all wonderful, and there wasn’t enough rain to make you too wet.  Perfect!

The race started on-time with the 15k runners starting first.  As the 5k runners approached the start they reminded us to turn right as we passed under the first underpass.  This was a change from last year’s course.  I had seen the new course map on-line and was curious.  Last year there was a large hill at the very beginning of the race but was a mostly flat out and back course.  This year was still out and back, but I wasn’t sure what the elevation would be like.

Daniel decided to pace me for this race for which I am very thankful.  Unfortunately, that means less pictures to share.  Bear with me on this long post.  The race begins….

Mile 1 was hectic.  I had to make my way around a lot of slower joggers and walkers.  I accidentally shoved a girl…oops.  I thought I had enough room to pass on her left between her and a parked car.  Well she moved slightly and I was already starting to pass, so I pushed her.  Sorry!!!  Daniel was running behind me and told me later that I definitely didn’t have room to pass, but agreed that she wasn’t running in a straight line.  After getting past the crowd, I felt strong and Daniel was pacing me very well.

Mile 2 was a hill.  I may be exaggerating when I say I ran uphill for a whole mile, but it felt like it.  This was quite a challenge for me and my pace suffered.  I went from 8:40 to 9:06/mi.  After a quick water break after the mile 2 marker, Daniel gave me a look like “It is time to speed it up.”

Mile 3 was fast.  I sped up to keep up with Daniel.  My goal was 8:36 pace to get a new PR and I knew I blew it.  When we were about a quarter mile from the end, he said to me “You can pass at least 50 people in front of you.” So I dug in and pushed to try to pick off runners one by one.  I don’t think I passed 50 people, but I definitely passed some.  I finished mile 3 in 8:17.

Finally the finish line was in sight and I sprinted in the best I could, but of course my legs were so heavy by this point.  I was greeted at the end with an ice cold towel.  Not a bad way to end a race.  My official time was 27:00 flat.  It wasn’t a new PR, but I was happy with how I ran (and I got 4th in my age group!).  I haven’t been exactly focusing on running and my mileage is way down because of the triathlon training. I think if I had more mileage, my cardio endurance would have been better prepared for that hill.

 

When I reflect back to a year ago, Too Hot to Handle was the first time I had broken 30 minutes on my 5k time.  I finished in 29:58 last year, and after a year of running, I took off nearly 3 minutes from my time.  I’m so proud of myself and owe a lot of my motivation to Daniel for pushing me to be the best version of myself that I can.

After the race, I claimed my New Balance finishers sleeveless t-shirt and then found a popsicle from the RunOn booth.  I toured around and got samples from Muscle Milk, Clif bar, and TCBY.  There was no Slurpee truck this year, but the fro-yo made up for it.  I talked with some other vendors and then decided to leave before the rain picked up.

Overall, it was a well-organized race.  I was disappointed at first that the new 5k route did not go by the lake, but it was still a scenic course (I even saw horses during my run).  Supporting nearly 1500 5k runners and 1500 10k runners is not easy, but Run Project and their sponsors did a great job.  I will be returning next year (especially if they can make the weather cool again).