Race # 3 of the Arkansas Grand Prix Series found me completely in my element! I participated in the 10th Annual Chase Race and Paws event which consists of a 2 mile road race and a one mile race that can be run with a leashed pet. It was like being back in high school track where I ran the two mile first and followed it with the one mile, the big difference was that this was on the road and the one mile race started only an hour after the 2 mile race. The races are directed by Don Potter in memory of his son, Chase Potter, whose life was cut short as a result of a brain injury. It also celebrates Chase’s love of animals. Proceeds from the race go to Arkansas Childrens Hospital for brain trauma research and to The Friends of Conway Animal Shelter.

As I mentioned in Running Authentically and 3 Things you should do when you find yourself in a slump, I really do not care for long road races and this became really clear for me as I was training for the Athens Authentic Marathon last fall. After running the Chase Race and Paws, I think the shorter the race the better. I love the challenge of the 10K and the 15K. They are just long enough. I have had a love/hate relationship with the 5K since college. I get caught up in going out too fast and then have to fight the last mile and a half to hang on.  But the mile and 2 mile, well that’s where I cut my racing teeth. It’s where I fell in love with racing.  It’s where I discovered that I have speed. I can race hard and leave it all on the race course or the track, barely be able to breath at the end, yet within 10 minutes I am bouncing around and soaking up the runner’s high: the elation I enjoy from challenging myself to run as fast as I can.

At the Chase Race my goal was to run two sub 7 minute miles. My stretch goal was to run two sub 6:45 minute miles. For the one mile Paws race my goal was to run a 6:30 with my dog Clyde. I didn’t put much thought or mental preparation into this race since it doesn’t count towards Grand Prix scoring. However, I did include Clyde in my speed session of 8 x 200s at 2 mile race pace, which we completed in the rain as the temps were dropping on Wednesday. It started sleeting within 10 minutes of us finishing our workout.

8 X 200s in the rain soon to be sleet! Yes I use rocks to keep count of my intervals!

I went out in a 6:47 first mile and was very excited. I was also holding my own, passing people, and not getting passed by other ladies in the race.  It was a beautiful morning with lots of sunshine and no wind. A welcome change to all the rain, sleet and snow we had earlier in the week. The glare of the sun made it difficult to see my Garmin and given my recent fiasco at the Valentine’s Day 5K, I reminded myself to go with my instincts and stay strong and focused.

Bo, my son, had come to the race to support me and take pictures as well as keep up with Clyde. Knowing he was at the finish line inspired me to keep pushing and running hard. My final mile was a 7:06, a little slower than I had wanted, yet I still finished the race in under 14 minutes with a 13:53.  Unfortunately I got passed just as we reached the finish line by another masters runner, whom I never heard coming. Two Grand Prix races in a row that I have been edged out for third place in the masters division in the final stretch. Guess it’s time to get busy and do something about that and practice finishing strong!

The start of the Paws race and the few minutes leading up to it were interesting to say the least. Although I have been running with a dog for more than 20 years, I have never entered a race with one. I had always wanted to run this race with my dog, but T-Roy, the dog we had before Clyde, was afraid of strangers and didn’t like being around other dogs. The crowds and all the dogs and commotion that this race brings would have totally freaked him out! Clyde on the other hand, really seemed to enjoy it. Unlike the Chase Race, there was not a chip mat at the start, so I knew I need to line up right in front with Clyde or we would for sure run over someone and their pet. Keeping Clyde from checking out at the other dogs around us was almost impossible and we all were constantly trying to untangled our leashes from each other.

Getting ready to line up for the start of the 2015 Paws Race. Fun times! Photo Credit: Bo Smith

So as not to scare the dogs, there is no horn to start the race. Instead Don Potter got everyone to count down and we started the race at zero. Invariably there are still slower people with little dogs who want to start up front and sure enough we got tangled up with some of them. We even came close to taking out a little boy who was running without a pet. After about 50 yards we were able to run without a problem.

The start of the 2015 Paws Race. All kinds of craziness going on. Photo Credit: Bo Smith

If I was in my element, I think Clyde was even more so! Normally I make him run next to me but this time I let him pull me as fast as I could keep up with him. Clyde was loving it and seemed to instinctively know what to do without dragging or tripping me.

As we approached the first turn at approximately 1 quarter mile, there were only about 8 runners and dogs in front of us and the lead runners and dogs were not too far ahead of us that we realistically had a shot at catching them. Still I was a little concerned about going after them so soon. By the half mile mark we had started to pass some of the other runners and found ourselves in 5th overall.

The pace was fast and challenging and it felt good. I knew I could hang on and I certainly didn’t have to worry about Clyde. He looked as if he was barely trotting and really would like to catch the other dogs in front of us! I decided I was going to do whatever I could to let him try to catch us up to them.

As we made the final corner, Clyde slowed down to hike his leg on a bush! Really? Now? “Heal!” I shouted and we took off hard down the final stretch! I could hear steps behind us so we ran faster sprinting towards the finish chute. The man and the dog behind us caught us, but by this time I could see the clock at 6:09! I couldn’t believe we were really that close to a 6 minute mile. While it was hard, it certainly didn’t feel that fast. We crossed the finish mat in 6:17, though my watch had us at 6:15. Either way I was thrilled! Clyde was the first dog to cross the line with a female runner! We shattered the former race record of 6:21 and the next female and dog finisher were 30 seconds behind us. Coincidently she was the one who passed me at the finish of the Chase Race!

Finishing fast and strong. 6th place over all, first female with leashed pet finisher in 6:17, a new race record. Photo credit: Bo Smith

A surge of confidence flooded me after the finish of the one mile race! If I can run like this with very little speed work and running 20-25 miles per week, where will I be as my mileage rises and the quantity and quality of my speed work increases? My mile time is already 10 seconds faster than my time at last summer’s Go! Mile.

Another important takeaway for me from the one mile race is how much I let my own head get in my way in the other races. I waste a lot of mental energy wondering if I still have it and worrying about my competition instead of staying focused on my own race. I never used to do this when I was younger. Time to go back to what works well for me! In the one mile race I was completely relaxed and focussed on Clyde and myself. I never worried about whether or not I could hold the pace, instead we just ran hard and it felt good!

In addition to my personal success, my team, the ladies of the Searcy Rush, won our 3rd consecutive Grand Prix race by sweeping first, second, and third place! Maybe we should form a B team. 

The Ladies of Searcy Rush: First Place 2015 Chase Race. Photo credit: Bo Smith

Finally, it was such a treat to have Bo with me. Bo ran cross country and track in junior high and high school and has been volunteering at races since he was 5 years old. While he’s not a fan of getting up at the crack of dawn, he enjoys the race atmosphere and does a great job supporting me. I appreciate him standing in line to pick up my race packet while I stood in line for the port-o-pot and for carrying around all my gear, keeping up with Clyde, all while snapping some great pictures of the event! Thanks Bo! I love you!

Bo and I with my first place AG trophy for the 2015 Chase Race. Photo credit: Bo Smith