This race recap was written by Derrion May. We congratulate Derrion on completing his first 10k race!

After finishing my 5k training, it felt right to continue onto the 10k. My commitment to running
more this year to spend time outside and lose weight was going as planned; however, I was in
for some challenges. I was midway through 10k training when I started experiencing shin
splints. The hot summer gave me the impression I could’ve been experiencing cramps, but this
pain rolled through my shins with every stride I took. I took a light week to conduct some
research on mobility training and understand more of what I was experiencing. I knew I had my
eye on completing a half marathon before the end of the year and I didn’t want anything to stop
that. While researching upcoming races in between stretches during this week, I came across
my next race; Lock2Lock 10k.

The race timing was perfect. I could recover from one too many burgers from the holiday
weekend, and then hit the path along the Potomac River. My goals were simple for this race;
don’t come out the gate too hot, practice controlled breathing, and finish the race. My first race
of the year was successful in terms of finish time, but I was burnt out after the first mile. I was
thrilled to hear the gun go off, and I took off as if I was being chased. Little did I know I left my
breath at the starting line, and it wasn’t keeping up. This was fixed with daily controlled
breathing exercises, which also aided in my developing road rage. Who knew that running
would give me a solution for when someone cuts me off on the freeway.

Race day seems like a blur whenever I reflect back on it. I remember stepping up towards the
starting line fifteen minutes before we began to go through a few warm ups and explore the
post-race snacks. Before I knew it, the countdown was at zero and I was off. I came out the gate
at an easy pace and continued this way for the first mile. The sound of my Altras bouncing off
the path was my running metronome. I gradually crept down the path, and then I decided to turn
it up a notch. I increased my pace, which was not a part of the plan. I was feeling good, and I
thought knocking a few minutes off of my plan wouldn’t hurt. After the midway point, I was
humbled and decided to slow my pace down slightly. Drenched in sweat and staring out at the
river, I knew this was where I was supposed to be. Passing the finish line is always a blessing,
but being in the mental battle of the race is my favorite part. You can go from moments of
confidence, concern, boredom, and frustration all within a two mile stretch. Instead of worrying
about what isn’t going right or how much farther you have to go, just keep going.