Race Report - 1/4/2014 - ThaiRun 10K

Location: Chandler, AZ - Tumbleweed Park

Race Type: 10K Run (more like 6.55 miles)
Participants: 34
Overall Place: 3rd
Age Group Place: 3rd
Time: 00:44:11

Pace: 6:41/mile

This race was a 5K and 10K fundraiser for a husband and wife Lutheran missionary team that lives and works in Thailand. This was their first attempt at managing a race but they received sponsorship from a local tri training organization that helped them manage the event. 

Upon arrival I picked up my registration packet and then roamed around the various tables of Thai raffle items, shirts for sale, and the unique trophies (they were donated from racers that had received them at running events in Thailand). 

I expected the race to be small and I wasn't disappointed. There were 34 participants in the 10K and 55 in the 5K. At 7:55 the organizers said a prayer and provided details on the course layout. The 10K runners were required to make four laps of the course. 8:00 came and the 10K runners started. For some reason I didn't bother to position myself near the front so I had to run around a few people at the beginning. 

Once I was able to get around the slower runners ahead of me there were still four people to chase. I passed two of them (1 was the sumo guy) about half way through the 1st lap and the 3rd person mid way through the 2nd lap. There was no way I was going to catch the lead as it looked like he was running a sub 6 min/mile pace. 

The remainder of the race I was being trailed by the event organizer, Brian, who was pushing his six month old in a stroller. In the middle of the 4th lap he overtook me and held to 2nd place. I'm not sure if I had it in me to beat him but I also didn't try. I was impressed by his passing me with a stroller and also felt like, as the organizer, I would give him the win. 

All in all, a good race. My GPS had the course as 6.55 miles and I confirmed it against Brian's and another racers units. For just the 10K portion, I ran a PR of 41:26. I didn't stay around for the medals or post race activities due to other commitments but if Brian puts out another running fundraiser I would gladly attend.