ShamROCK 10K Review

Sunday, March 19, 2017:

Hot.  The high for Sunday was 96 degrees, besting the previous record high for Phoenix AZ by 4 degrees.  This on the last day of winter, mind you.  Of course this is no fault of the race committee, and happily we ran in the morning, not in the 96 degree air.

My Race:

The temperature was probsbly in the low 80's during my race.  I had planned to continue my training regimen, running intervals of about 5 minutes out of each mile, but quickly overheated and gave that up after the first two minutes.  Instead I ran until I didn't feel like running any more, and then walked until I felt OK to run again.  I think that my time may have been about the same as if I had done the longer run segments, but the training benefil may not have been as good.  No matter, it was the best I could do.

I finished the 10K in 1:17:37, first (of 1) in my 75+ age group, pace 12:31 per mile.  I wonder how I might have done in comfortable weather.  We have more races coming up - perhaps I'll find out.  In the meantime the training continues.

The ShamROCK 10K, 1/2 Marathon, and 5K:

We started in a lovely park, part of the Rose Mofford Sports Complex on the northwest side of Phoenix, but almost all of the actual race was an out-and-back along a wide asphalt trail between two canals, one wide, deep, and empty, and the other much narrower but filled with muddy-looking water flowing generally northwest.  

The course included some interesting views across each of the canals, but very little shade.  I suspect the advantage is that no police were required - wherever the trail crossed a street, it dove under the street in a tunnel.

Those short tunnels harbored the only real problem - disrespectful bike riders, some of whom clearly felt that the trail belonged to them, not us pedestrians.  Except for the tunnels, the trail was wide enough for bikes and runners, all going both ways, but space was limited in the tunnels.  I was struck on the arm by one man going way too fast in poor light.  No injury, an inch or two my way and the bike rider and I would doubtless have shared an ambulance.  He didn't hit me intentionally - he was just riding stupid.  Too fast - too little light - too many people - unaware of debris on the ground in the tunnel.

I was a bit surprised by the attitude of a race official when I mentioned the problem of the bike riders.  To summarize:  "Too bad, we told you about it in the race literature, we're not responsible, and there is nothing we can do about it in the future."  Oh well, if you run this race keep a watch behind yourself, especially in the tunnels.  Or carry a baseball bat.

Otherwise this was a nice race.  Everyone was more than welcoming and friendly, especially at the water stations.  Those were every mile and a half, very much appreciated in this extreme heat.  None of the races have a time limit, so almost anyone can run any of them.  I recommend it.