Goldilock Las Vegas 10k Race Recap

This weekend I ran my first ever 10k not only since I’ve started my half marathon training, but in general.  3 years ago I did the 40 mile bike ride and even thought I was technically a DNF that race, I loved how it was organized. I had planned to go back the next year for the 60 mile ride, but I was 7 months pregnant with Baby D so that wasn’t going to happen… Flash forward to this year, and the women’s only bike riding even announced they were adding running events as well. They offered a 5k, 10k, and 13.1 option, and the 10k fell nearly perfectly into my half marathon training schedule so I signed up for the Goldilocks Las Vegas 10k race!

Photo Credit

Leading up to the race I had been doing really well with my runs. I was adding on my mileage just like I had planned in my training plan, and while planning runs with my husband deployed and two kids isn’t ideal – I made them happen. For instance, the Saturday before the race I was supposed to run 9 miles. But my sitter was no call no show. (Thankfully she was okay, it turned out she’d lost her phone and switched to a non-iPhone so she wasn’t getting my texts and didn’t have my number.) My amazing friend offered to watch my youngest on Monday. I wasn’t sure I could get 9 miles in under 2 hours, which is the playcare’s time limit, and I certainly didn’t want to be pushing a jogger for that amount of time. 5 miles is about Baby D’s limit anyway.

So Monday I ran 9 miles for the first time ever. It went pretty well. I thought I fueled well, so I planned on just copying what I’d done on Monday for Saturday’s race. (Which in case you were wondering was banana, almond butter, and coconut flakes for breakfast with a nuun Energy, and a mamma chia pouch at mile 4.5. I also ended up stopping at the library to refill my water at 4.5 miles and then stopping at a gas station for a Gatorade at mile 8. It had gotten really hot…)

Anywho, back to the race recap. I ate foods I knew were safe and easy on my stomach all day Friday and rested/hydrated.  I went to pick up my race packet with the baby after dropping my older son for his first sleepover with his Auntie. It was nice that packet pick up was at the same location as the race so I was able to see exactly where to park, and where the starting line was.

Baby D was pretty excited for the race. I think he wanted to go with me!

When we arrived to packet pickup I suddenly realized that this was not going to be a very flat run. I started to let myself get a bit worked up about that. I need to do more hill training. That is for sure. Then I realized that I needed to stop. This wasn’t about time. I needed to focus on finishing. “Slow & Steady” I told myself. “Time will come in time – just focus on finishing and the experience.” These were the conversations I forced myself to think when I would get nervous. I went home, laid out my outfit, and headed to bed.

Shirt: Race Shirt Swag, Pants: SkirtSports, Shoes: Mizuno Inspire 10s, CEP Compression sleeves, Polar FT40 watch+chest strap, FlipBelt running belt, Nathan water bottle, Mamma Chia Pouch, Nuun Energy & Nuun Hydration Tabs, Feetures Socks (not shown)

Looking back I’m really glad I scheduled two races before my first 1/2 marathon. Just learning how I react in that situation will help me when it comes to the Strip At Night run in November…

My sitter arrived on time on Saturday morning, but for some reason I thought it was more important to finish dishes than to get out the door, so I was running 15 minutes behind but I was feeling good. I snapped this picture as I pulled out of my house and felt grateful to be running that day.

Now this is what I call a running perk! What a gorgeous sunrise.

I finally arrived at the race at 6:30 for my 7:00am start time and realized I had to go to the bathroom. I hadn’t anticipated such a long potty line! Thankfully one lady let me go in front of her, but then there was a lady that skipped everyone in the lines.

I finished going potty at 6:56am and hurried over to the starting line. Bikers were on the right, runners on the left. One lady next to me said that she’d been using the race route to train. It would be 3.1 uphill, and 3.1 down.

GLUP! – Did I mention I need more hill training? Slow & Steady. Focus on finishing… I snapped a picture of the starting line, set up my apps, turned on my audio book, and we all took off.

Note: I’m going to get a little bit TMI here… Sorry in advance – hopefully you are a fellow runner or maybe just a kindred soul and understand… Honestly, I try not to talk about my bodily functions, but as a parent to two young boys, I’m pretty sure I’m immune to the talk… Just be glad you didn’t get the race recap text I sent to my husband!

Mile 1: About .3 into my run I felt like I had to pee again. I passed it off for nerves. The course was immediately into the Red Rock canyons and was stunning as the sun was now up and starting to warm everyone as we ran. The crowd divided a bit, and I set into an okay pace.  Just over .6 miles I really felt like I had to pee. Weird, but I thought of well, I’ll stop and use the first potty I see and it will be over.  At mile 1 I had run a 13:52 pace which I was happy with considering it was all uphill.

Mile 2: Thought I was going to pee my pants. This was odd. Ended up walking some for fear of peeing on myself. Very happy to see the first potty, but not so happy to see people waiting to use it. I used the potty, but skipped the water at the aid station. Mile 2 was a 17:07 split. Not cool, but I did have to pee and wait in line.

Mile 3: My audio book was not cutting it. Even after the potty break I was still feeling like I was going to have a pee accident. I turned on my running playlist, and let Justin Timberlake’s Mirrors set me into a good groove. My split was 12:34. (<— That made me smile as it was still mostly uphill and I think the fastest non-treadmill mile I’ve done. I repeated Mirrors on my playlist.)

Mile 4: Just after mile 3 was the turn around point and the 2nd water/Gatorade station. I took both water and Gatorade. Then I stopped at the bathroom again as I was very urgently feeling like peeing. What on earth was up!! Sometimes I will have to stop in the beginning of a run, but usually that’s it and I’m good. I took my time, and settle back into a good pace, but that stop cost me a few minutes at least! My split was 16:02

Mile 5: Mile 5 was good. I settled back into a good pace, and was feeling okay. Still feeling like I had to pee, but it was urgent. I was starting to be passed by the fast 1/2 marathoners. Nearly every single one uttered a “keep going” “you got this” when they passed. That was pretty cool. Split 13:37.

Mile 6: Right at the end of mile 5 my hands and ears started to sting. I went to go rub my ears and they started to itch like crazy. Then my stomach started to grumble what would be curse words if it could talk. I thought I was going to be sick. I stopped running. A runner passed me and said “No! Don’t stop – you’ve got this” I tried to open my mouth, but I think I just grunted, I started again, and thought I was going to simultaneously pee myself and puke. I walked. I didn’t feel well at all. My hands and my ears were itching and swelling. I looked at my watch and thought there was no way I was going to make my goal time. I was upset and mad and really scared I was going to have an accident. Split 14:50.

Mile 6+: I started my GPS as I crossed the starting line (maybe a tiny bit early), and so I was frustrated when I heard I had hit 6 miles, but wasn’t .2 away from the finish line. I’m not sure if the course was a little bit longer, or what – but I was at least another .5 away from finishing. I began to run. I wasn’t going to cross that finish line walking. All I wanted to do was get in my car and get home. I was itchy, swollen, nauseous, and still had to pee! I crossed the finish line, got my beautiful hand stamped necklace (instead of a metal), and stopped my GPS and my watch.

I should have stopped and bought the 10k charm to go with this, but instead I just ordered one off of etsy.

According to my watch I finished in 1:33:35, but my official time was 1:37:50. My lip started to shake and I had to stop myself from crying. I had so badly wanted to finish in under 1:30:00, and honestly thought I could do it in under 1:20:00. My GPS had me at 6.74 miles. with the last .74 at 12:00.

I took some deep breaths, and calmed down. I found the food station, grabbed a water, grabbed some strawberries (which were amazing and I wish I grabbed more), and headed back to my car. I hadn’t planned on staying around because my son had his final baseball game for the Fall Season and the party was to follow it. His Auntie took him to the game, but I was going to take him to his party.

He was pretty proud of his medal! So proud of my little man!

When I got home I got really sick. I barely made it into the door without having an accident. I tried for over 1.5 hours to pull myself together, and even started to walk to the car to take my son to the party when I realized it wasn’t going to happen and I was really sick. I took my temperature and found out I had a low grade fever.  Peeing became more painful and it was clear I had an infection. (Sorry total TMI!) We stayed home, and my son cried about missing his party. I may have bribed him with candy and a movie. (Both considered treats in our home.) Only now over a day later am I starting to feel a bit better.  But the crazy thing was when I figured out I was really sick, only then did I not feel badly about my run.  Looking back I should have been really proud of what I did.

• I had my fastest non-treadmill mile split
• I kept going and didn’t give up
• I ran 6.2 miles on a hilly course. 11 weeks ago that wouldn’t have been possible for me.

I will for sure run the Goldilocks Las Vegas 10K again next year. It was a gorgeous course, it was very well organized, and I want to do it when I’m not sick.  Plus they had the best signs along the course. This one made me laugh out loud and think of my husband!

The 5k and 10k was an out and back run, the 13.1 was a drop off starting line, with the same finish as everyone else.

Who knows, maybe I will head up that way again for a training run. I could sure use more hill training…

 Did you run this weekend? How/what did you do?

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Emily

Emily is a wife & mom living in Las Vegas. The owner and writer at Our Knight Life, Emily loves sharing her two adorable boys and journey through motherhood. Emily has run four half marathons to date and is always training for her next big race. She also enjoys creating healthy recipes for her family and sharing family friendly product reviews.

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