Race Report: 75th Annual Cape Ann 25K

The 75th running of the Around Cape Ann 25K took place on September 1, 2008 and I was lucky to be a part of it. This was probably the hardest race I've done, but I can definitely see myself participating in it for years to come.

I arrived in Gloucester, Massachusetts at 7:45am well ahead of the 9:00am race start. The middle school, where the race starts, was very easy to find and there was plenty of parking right at the school. I went into the middle school to pay my $30 registration free, pick up my free t-shirt and my favorite free item of the race - a sticker (picture those 26.2 stickers or stickers with the 3 letters on them that symbolize your town name) that said 15.56 Cape Ann North Shore YMCA 15.56 miles, 16 major hills. Yes, that's how they advertise their race and yet for some reason - some very sick reason - I decided to find out what their definition of "major" was.

That picture up there is the elevation chart. Keep this in mind as I will point out something crazy later on. As you can see, this course has a lot of big hills. I am bad at reading elevation so all I knew for sure was that I'd be doing a lot of up and down and up and down and so on. The race started on a narrow little road, which worked out OK because their weren't too many of us. I felt like I was going really slow to start and I was getting passed by I was trying to keep an easy pace for the first two miles. The runners split apart pretty quickly and there was plenty of running room. In my head I just tried to keep it my own race.

I tried to keep an even pace running up each of the hills. I tend to power up them to get them over, but I knew there would be a lot of hills so I didn't want to power up them in the beginning and have to walk up them in the end. I was able to do a pretty good job of keeping pace up the hills. The great part was that once I got to the top I knew I was coming right back down again. I kept the woman ahead of me in sight and just tried to pass them one at a time. It wasn't my intention at first, but it kind of just started happening. This race was so friendly that when I passed a few people they actually said "great job" or "you look strong" or "keep it up girl" and those comments were so encouraging. It just goes to show that runners want the best for each other and that races aren't necessarily about beating other people, but about beating yourself.

I started to get pretty tired around the 6-7 mile mark. We had left Gloucester and moved into Rockport at this time. At this point I was trying to get around a girl, but we were just running to even of a pace so I ended up sticking with her for probably 3/4 of a mile before I was finally able to pass her prior to going up the hill at mile 7. This hill was nothing to laugh at. It was a freakin' mountain. It went straight up and then up some more. About 2/3 of the way up ladies were handing out Gatorade and telling us we all looked good. Then I heard a man say, "you're at the top" and I was thinking "oh yes, thank God!" However, when I looked up there was still more hills to go. I don't care if you lie to me and tell me I look good when I definitely don't feel that way, but let's not go lying about how much hill I have left to climb. 

So eventually I made it up that mile 7 hill, but what I didn't realize was that the worst was yet to come. Looking at the elevation chart you can see that after mile 8, the rest of the course is relatively flat except for at mile 13 and 14. Now here comes my crazy statement. The first half of this course is definitely easier than the second half. It sounds crazy since the first half has all the hills, but my legs were getting beat up for the second half, I was feeling dehydrated and needed some Gatorade so this second half was a mental battle. 

There were a couple of guys ahead of me, but no girls. So I stuck with the guys and we kept playing tag for awhile. Then I came upon another woman. A lady on the sideline said that we were probably in or close to the top 30 females. So I told myself to pass this girl ahead of me and get in the top 30. I did. This top 30 thing kept me going for awhile. I saw another girl around 11/12 and was also able to pass her. Then I hit the hill at mile 13 - phew! a tough one, but got it over with. 

Then I saw another girl ahead of me. I knew I had to get her too. She went up the hill and around the curve at mile 14. Not too much time to get her. I was able to push up that last hill, but as I was going up the turn, a couple guys ahead of me started walking so my brain said "oh, we're done! Look everyone is walking. This must be the finish." and my legs seriously stopped. I caught myself taking a few walking steps so then I said "self, what the F, get up and go!" I listened and pushed up the rest of the hill. I was able to catch the girl (by the way she had passed me up a hill at mile 4 talking and laughing with her friend so this felt really good) on the flat right before mile 15. 

Now I just had to make sure that no one passed me. I don't like to let people pass me that I've passed. I saw the camera at mile 15 and smiled. That is the only time I've seen the camera and smiled. It was great and the picture didn't turn out so bad either (I'll post it later if I remember). 

Now for the last hill. I turned right just after the 15 mile mark and the photo-op. There is a short, ridiculously steep hill to get up at this turn. There was a girl who had already finished standing on this hill and she was basically in my face yelling, "come on girl, pump those arms, push up this hill, the finish is so close." I swear she gave me a fresh set of legs because I dusted that hill and then gave it all I had to get into the finish. I couldn't let anyone catch me. I didn't look back. I just ran as fast as my tired legs would take me.

I could see the clock 2:09:35, 2:09:36... ticking away and knew I just had to break 2:10. I talked myself in big time and finished in 2:09:57.

I originally thought I'd finish in 2:05, but this course was really tough. I am happy with the result and pretty excited that this is my last race before my goal race, the Hartford Marathon.

Official Results

coolrunning.com

Time: 2:09:57

Pace: 8:22 min/mi

Place Overall: 162/508

Place Female 20-29: 15/56

(Not sure I did or didn't make that top 30 women.)