Bolder BOULDER 10k 2006

If it's Memorial Day in Colorado, that must mean it's time for the BolderBOULDER 10K race! I ran this for the first time in 2005, because my best friend, who's been running it for several years now, talked me into it. In 2005 I finished with a very respectable time of 1:02:04, just four seconds shy of the cutoff point for the 24 qualifying waves (actually I finished in 1:02:02, according to my watch).

I figured, what with all the training and carrying my own water (rather than getting drinks at the aid stations along the course), I'd finish a bit faster this year than the last. Certainly under 62 minutes; I was shooting for sub-60. I ran a practice in 55:38, so I figured I'd finish in about 57 minutes (allowing for crowd slowage-- several tens of thousands of people run this thing!).

My final time, according to my watch: 53:31! Almost 10 minutes shaved off and an average 8:38-minute mile! I didn't just beat my previous time, I spanked it like a baby and sent it cryin' home to its momma!