27th Annual Turkey Trot 10k Race

Over 500 runners showed up for this year's Turkey Trot!! This is my first Turkey Trot 10k race as it's usually within my tapering for the Las Vegas Marathon, this year the Turkey Trot will be my tune-up race for the marathon. The weather is absolutely perfect, 57 degrees at the start (6:00 a.m.) with winds southwest at 5 mph.

The course is the exact same tough course as last August's "5th Annual Police & Fire Department 10k Race" that starts at the Las Vegas Outlet Mall. I'm very familiar with this hilly course as I ran it in August and set a personal record of 50:10.

I went to bed at 2:30 a.m. (yup, I worked race night) and awoke at 4:30 a.m. Needless to say, two hours of sleep isn't enough rest for racing, nevertheless, I'll strive to do my best. Did my usual morning routine, breakfast of raisin bran with sliced bananas, chased down with orange Gatorade followed by a long bathroom break. I then woke my mind by reading the about.com's running forum and friend's blogs, which never fails to motivate me. Dressed for success with red shorts, black singlet and my favorite racing shoes, "ASICS Gel-DS Trainer #12." I then crawled into my Oldsmobile and headed for the race. Arrived at the course around 5:30 a.m. and did my warmup of walking, then jogging, followed by running a couple of strides.

I've set my "Garmin Forerunner 301" virtual partner for a 7:40 minute pace, which would be a personal record of 47:38. He'll be the one to beat during this race. At the starting line I've positioned myself in the third row deep within the closest line to the first tangent.

Mile 1: Time 7:25 minute mile. Average heart rate 170 bpm. (note: my maximum heart rate is 191 bpm) Ran one lap around the Las Vegas Outlet Center, sharp right hand turn on to Warm Springs Road, than another right turn on Haven Road. So many more runners than last summer on this course and couldn't make the first two tangents close enough due to the crowd, but hoping the runners will spread out more after the first mile.

Mile 2: Time 7:03 minute mile. Accumulated time: 14:29. Average heart rate 178 bpm. Ran down Haven Street, made a perfect tangent cut on the left turn on Eldorado Road. I'm running much too fast as I'm going downhill and resolved to slow myself down the next mile. My "Garmin 301" virtual partner is helping me tremendously with setting a pace as I vow to beat him this time.

Mile 3: Time 7:07 minute mile. Accumulated time: 21:37. Average heart rate 175 bpm. Eldorado Road to Paradise Road, which is one steep downhill, it's going to be a killer coming back uphill. I'm still running a little too fast, but my heart rate is still in the zone. I'm just floating down the hill and feel I should take advantage of the gravity's pull. I'm a tenth of a mile ahead of my virtual partner, but know he'll catch up during the uphill stretch.

Mile 4: Time, 8:01 minute mile. Accumulated time: 29:38. Average heart rate: 176 bpm. I'm still doing well with the many tangents, straight through to one tangent and hug the corners. Right turn on Paradise, turnaround on Robindale (lost many valuable seconds maneuvering around orange traffic cone), and back to the starting line via the treacherous uphill on Eldorado Road. The uphill section is causing many runners to slow down and some are even walking. I'm being deceived by my passing so many runners that I didn't realize my own pace has slowed down dramatically, glanced at my Garmin and realized I must get back on track!

Mile 5: Time, 7:49 minute mile. Accumulated time: 37:27. Average heart rate: 179 bpm. Still running uphill and I'm still slightly ahead of my Garmin's virtual partner, if I can just keep pushing hard up this blasted hill. One female runner passes me and resolved to catch her as to help motivate me to race harder.

Mile 6: Time, 7:51 minute mile. Accumulated time: 45:19. Average heart rate: 180 bpm. Passed the female runner who caught me last mile. Making perfect tangents with no runners in my way! Left turn on Haven Road, Sharp left turn on Warm Springs Road, and a loop around the Mall...my body is hurting, left ankle is pleading, I'm huffing and puffing; so very close to finishing, must hang on.

Finish Line. The last stretch to the finish line, I can see the timer ticking away, tried to pick up my pace, and my virtual partner IS falling behind! My heart rate at the finish line was 188 bpm and was too out of breath to see what's my time. After I stopped panting realized I finished with a new personal record of 46:46!! My pace was 7:31 minute miles and I beat my Garmin's virtual partner by 52 seconds!

I won the the 2nd Place Award in the 55-59 age group! The runner who took first place in my age group was from Ireland...yup, they had to get an outsider to beat me!