The 3rd Annual Core Sound Run 10K was my second race of the year and my second time running this race. I ran it the first year it was held and placed second in 36:49. The race is put on by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center located on Harkers Island, NC. It is right across the water from Cape Lookout National Seashore which makes for a beautiful place for a race. The race has a 5K and 10K and the courses are a loop instead of your typical out and back. You start and finish across the water from the Cape Lookout lighthouse, run through some neighborhoods, and finish on the main road on the island back at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center. The courses are flat. I'm glad they have a 10K because the 10K distance is getting harder to find. It's a distance I still love to race and one of the few left in Carteret County.
I love the local races back home and still do as many as I can. I hated that I missed this race last year and it has become one of my favorite races because of the location, course, and race director. It is a PR course with good weather before it gets so hot and humid. I was coming off running the Florence Forth 10K in Durham on March 4th in 36:42. I wanted to beat that time here on a flatter course and win the race. The race gives really cool custom decoy awards to the overall winners. The decoys are made by Casey A Decoys and are the perfect award for this race because the decoy represents the waterfowl heritage of down east Carteret County and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
My Dad and I arrived at the race around 8am for the 9am race start. The weather was good and the wind wasn't as bad as forecasted. It was sunny with a temperature in the low 60s. About 35 minutes before the start I did my usual scoop and a half of Generation UCAN before heading off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up run with Katherine.
I love the local races back home and still do as many as I can. I hated that I missed this race last year and it has become one of my favorite races because of the location, course, and race director. It is a PR course with good weather before it gets so hot and humid. I was coming off running the Florence Forth 10K in Durham on March 4th in 36:42. I wanted to beat that time here on a flatter course and win the race. The race gives really cool custom decoy awards to the overall winners. The decoys are made by Casey A Decoys and are the perfect award for this race because the decoy represents the waterfowl heritage of down east Carteret County and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
My Dad and I arrived at the race around 8am for the 9am race start. The weather was good and the wind wasn't as bad as forecasted. It was sunny with a temperature in the low 60s. About 35 minutes before the start I did my usual scoop and a half of Generation UCAN before heading off for an easy 1.5 miles warm-up run with Katherine.
Side by Side with Katherine The wind started to increase just in time for the start of the race. I knew it was going to be a tough first 3.1 miles into the wind before we made the final left turn to get back on the main road which would take us straight back to the finish. I was still determined to go out hard and chase a sub 36:42. The gun went off and Katherine and I went to the lead, quickly leaving the field behind us. The wind was strong but I was fresh so I just stayed focused on my goal.
As I neared the first mile maker I noticed there wasn't a mile marker on the course. They must have forgotten to put them out. It was a little annoying but I knew the course was USATF certified and I knew about where the mile markers should be having run the race before. I did have my Garmin 920XT on so that helped but I turn the auto lap off in races and hit the lap button at the official course markers so current mile pace is more accurate. The first mile was mostly protected from the wind being in the neighborhood and I was able to open with a 5:47 first mile; right on pace.
I was out front with only Katherine within striking distance of me. I kept my eyes ahead and continued to run hard. The fast opening mile and wind were starting to make it more difficult though to run the pace I wanted. Aside from the missing mile markers, all the course turns were well marked and volunteers were stationed at intersections to stop traffic. Mile two was slower in 6:02.
The next 1.5 miles were directly into the wind and it felt strong as the neighborhood was thinning out taking away the little wind protection we had. I kept running hard into it though looking forward to the final left turn and having the wind at my back. I ran mile three in 6:13. Once I made the turn back onto the main road the police car pulled ahead of me to lead me to the finish.
As I neared the first mile maker I noticed there wasn't a mile marker on the course. They must have forgotten to put them out. It was a little annoying but I knew the course was USATF certified and I knew about where the mile markers should be having run the race before. I did have my Garmin 920XT on so that helped but I turn the auto lap off in races and hit the lap button at the official course markers so current mile pace is more accurate. The first mile was mostly protected from the wind being in the neighborhood and I was able to open with a 5:47 first mile; right on pace.
I was out front with only Katherine within striking distance of me. I kept my eyes ahead and continued to run hard. The fast opening mile and wind were starting to make it more difficult though to run the pace I wanted. Aside from the missing mile markers, all the course turns were well marked and volunteers were stationed at intersections to stop traffic. Mile two was slower in 6:02.
The next 1.5 miles were directly into the wind and it felt strong as the neighborhood was thinning out taking away the little wind protection we had. I kept running hard into it though looking forward to the final left turn and having the wind at my back. I ran mile three in 6:13. Once I made the turn back onto the main road the police car pulled ahead of me to lead me to the finish.
Winning the Core Sound Run 10K Now that I had the tailwind, I turned my focus to getting the time back I lost. I felt like I was still running the same effort as I did into the wind but now my pace was showing that effort. I was tired though from battling the wind but now it was time to dig deep and go get the win. I ran miles four and five in 6:05 and 5:57. I wasn't sure how big my lead was with 1.2 miles to go as I wasn't looking back to find out.
I kept focusing on the police car and using it as my pacer. I passed runners and walkers finishing the 5K and cheered them on as they cheered for me. It was feeling warmer than it was thanks to the full sun and no shade but I'll take April warm over the heat and humidity of the Beaufort Road Race in July. I ran mile six in 5:58 and finished the last 0.2 miles at 5:39 pace to take the Win in 37:36. Katherine was 2nd Overall in 38:01. She said she wouldn't have ran that fast if she hadn't been chasing me so I'm glad she surprised herself.
I kept focusing on the police car and using it as my pacer. I passed runners and walkers finishing the 5K and cheered them on as they cheered for me. It was feeling warmer than it was thanks to the full sun and no shade but I'll take April warm over the heat and humidity of the Beaufort Road Race in July. I ran mile six in 5:58 and finished the last 0.2 miles at 5:39 pace to take the Win in 37:36. Katherine was 2nd Overall in 38:01. She said she wouldn't have ran that fast if she hadn't been chasing me so I'm glad she surprised herself.
Katherine Finishing 2nd Overall My time was a minute slower than my goal. The wind was tough and it was difficult to make up the time I lost battling the wind. The Florence Forth 10K had a deep field which helped me run faster because I was chasing people. I think I've gotten to the point where I run better on courses with some rolling hills than I do on flat courses. I'm so happy I won this race though and got one of the decoy awards!
Several of my friends had good races as well. Kent won his age group in the 10K and Lauren was the 5K Overall Female winner. We got to get Kevin to win his age group next year! I love this race and area. I'm sure they'll remember to put the mile markers out next year. I want to see this race grow in numbers and I plan on doing anything I can to make that happen. The area is beautiful and the 5K and 10K courses are great. You can't beat finishing across the water from Cape Lookout either.
Several of my friends had good races as well. Kent won his age group in the 10K and Lauren was the 5K Overall Female winner. We got to get Kevin to win his age group next year! I love this race and area. I'm sure they'll remember to put the mile markers out next year. I want to see this race grow in numbers and I plan on doing anything I can to make that happen. The area is beautiful and the 5K and 10K courses are great. You can't beat finishing across the water from Cape Lookout either.
Awards Ceremony with Friends My Saturday wasn't over yet though. After winning this race I headed back to Cary in the afternoon to pace my friend Jason at Umstead 100. Jason won it last year and had a goal of a sub 15 hour performance this year. I was going to pace him the final lap, 12.5 miles, in my favorite place to run. I paced him last year on an earlier lap but stayed till he finished and it was so great when he won it last year. He had a busy spring running 230 miles across Haiti with Team Tassy, winning the Umstead Trail Marathon a week after he got back, and now running the Umstead 100 a few weeks after the Umstead Trail Marathon. Jason ended up having a tough day and missed his goal time but I'm glad I was there to get him through the last 12.5 miles. His other paces did a great job as well getting him mentally able to finish on such a tough day. He is a strong runner and doing all three of those so close together is impressive! I don't know how he did it but he did.
Race Gear
Socks: Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light low cut
Shoes: New Balance 1400v4 road flats
Shorts: The North Face Better Than Naked Split Shorts 3"
Singlet: The Running Syndicate Adidas singlet
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
Watch: Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses: Rudy Project Rydon
Race Gear
Socks: Smartwool PhD Run Ultra Light low cut
Shoes: New Balance 1400v4 road flats
Shorts: The North Face Better Than Naked Split Shorts 3"
Singlet: The Running Syndicate Adidas singlet
Road ID Wrist ID Slim
Watch: Garmin 920XT
Sunglasses: Rudy Project Rydon
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