MCM 10K Race Recap

About this time last year, I was on the course of the Marine Corps Marathon, likely cursing myself for signing up for such a ridiculous distance and wishing that it was over.  This year, I ran the Marine Corps 10K and, let me just say, I felt much better at the end of this race than I did at the end of the marathon.

I last ran a 10k in 2011, so I expected to see some improvement in my running.  I'm happy to report a PR, but even happier to report that my dad totally rocked his first 10K with a time of 58:22.

The course starts on the mall, heads east toward the Capitol before looping back down 14th and across the bridge into Crystal City.  From there, it's (mostly) flat to the Iwo Jima memorial in Arlington.  The pack was tight for the first mile, which I didn't mind because it forced me to hold back and gradually settle into my race pace.  The weather and crowd support were perfect.

I'm very pleased the the result of this race.  I'd reached a point in my running, that seemed to start early last year, at which I felt like I wasn't making any progress.  I've made a few changes in my diet, workout schedule, and training plans, and I'm definitely seeing progress again.

Previous record: 58:01 Capitol Hill Classic 2011
MCM 10K net time (official) 53:37
Average pace: 8:38

Next up, the Richmond Half!