Seven Marathon Lessons Learned from Two 10K Races
Here are seven lessons that I learned as a marathoner from two 10K races — one completed last Saturday, and one completed last month.
When I finished my previous 10K (Conoco Phillips Rodeo Run) about 2.5 years ago, I realized to my disappointment that there was no finisher medal waiting for me.
I had been away from 10K races for several years, having shifted focus back in 2002 on marathon training. Having grown fond of getting a finisher medal upon crossing a marathon finish line, I had forgotten that most 10Ks don’t give out finisher medals.
Following that no-medal 10K, I decided that 10Ks would be off my list for the foreseeable future.
As a self-professed, unabashed fan of the race bling, I could not justify rising early and spending more time driving to and from a 10K than actually racing, unless a finisher medal were awaiting me.
On the other hand, my latest two 10Ks — Toughest 10K Kemah and Toughest 10K Galveston — appealed to me not only because of the worthy charity and the challenge of crossing bridges but also because of their finisher medals.
As someone with more than a dozen marathons under my hydration belt, here are seven lessons that I learned — or re-learned — from those two 10K races.
Lesson #1 – A 10K to a marathoner is like a 400m sprint to a miler.
If you had asked me before I started marathoning, I would have said that a 10K is a long distance to run.
Now, and with no intent to demean those for whom 6.2 miles is the farthest that they have ever raced, a 10K is like a long sprint to me.
Experience drives perspective. This reminds me of a training buddy who told me that a marathon was “not that bad” after he had completed a 50K race.
Lesson #2 – A 10K can be good speed-training for a marathoner.
The Saturday morning after I ran Toughest 10K Kemah, I got back together with my group training program to complete a 17-mile run. Both one of my training partners and I noticed that my pace was slightly faster than the my usual pace, and I have to attribute this to that 10K race in Kemah on the previous Saturday morning.
Lesson #3 – A 21-miler can be good speed-training for a 10K.
The Saturday morning before I ran Toughest 10K Galveston, I completed a 21-miler with my group training program. I felt that 21-miler’s speed benefit to me last Saturday in Galveston, and it showed when I compared Galveston to Kemah: 19 seconds per mile faster on average, for a two-minute savings!
Lesson #4 – Even if you’re the slowest racer, you won’t miss the medal ceremony.
I am accustomed to finishing marathons long after the winner finishes, so I never see the medal ceremonies for my marathons. Because everything is more time-compressed in a 10K, these last two 10K races reminded me that you can be at the back of the pack and still get to see the medal ceremony.
I like this! The ceremonies are fun for people-watching and are a great way to get inspired by the youngest and oldest racers.
Lesson #5 – A good location is hard to beat.
Although many of us participating in Toughest 10K Kemah gagged from the smell of rotting fish within a few blocks after we crossed the start line near the Kemah Boardwalk, the rest of the course was fish-rot-free and gave us a spectacular view of Galveston Bay from the Kemah-Seabrook bridge, which we had to cross four times.
Even more spectacular was the 2.2-mile Galveston bridge that we had to cross twice in Toughest 10K Galveston last Saturday. Wow! What a view!
Lesson #6 – Be grateful for good organizers.
Robby Saban organized these two 10K races. For Runners…By Runners is the motto of his company, Running Alliance Sport, and his motto shows in how he treats his participants:
- Frequent email before the race
- Multiple locations and dates for packet pickup
- Plenty of parking near the start line
- Public announcement of racers as they approach the finish line
- Lots of happy volunteers
- Good frequency of water stations
- Sufficient time for slower racers to finish
- Frequent posting of results near the finish line
- Lots of food and drinks beyond the finish line
I am grateful for Robby Saban and his sponsors and volunteers.
Lesson #7 – If necessary, walk the inclines.
If you are a constant runner or constant walker, then you don’t need this lesson. On the other hand, if you are a run:walk athlete, as I am, then this lesson or advice may rub you the wrong way. However, I give this advice in my latest book — Run:Walk Method Mastery. And, M. Lam, a run:walk athlete and one of the reviewers of my books Run:Walk Pace Tables in Minutes/Mile and Run:Walk Pace Tables in Minutes/Kilometer, says that she prefers to abandon the run:walk method and walk the inclines, especially on trail runs.
The Galveston bridge is longer but shallower than the Kemah-Seabrook bridge, so I did not need this lesson/advice in Galveston. But, I repeatedly followed it in the Toughest 10K Kemah race, and it helped me to sustain my energy for the fast-pace runs down the four declines in that race.
What Have You Learned from 10Ks?
If you are a marathoner and have completed any 10K races recently, what have you learned from them? Please share your experience by leaving a comment below. Thanks!
