Garden of the Gods Races 2022

The Garden of the Gods Ten Mile footrace has been around for 45 years. This challenging venue also offers a 10K and a trail 10K race. The ten mile race is comparable to a half marathon on less hilly terrain.

This year I opted for the 10K. I had signed up for the ten mile, but I didn't stick to the last two weeks of my training program. Having run the ten mile race before, I knew I had to be at my peak to hope to finish within the cutoff time.

I had been training for the ten Mile, so I felt confident the 10K would be a piece of cake. When we woke up to a 90+ degree forecast, my confidence waned. I hate running in heat. 

My daughter ran with me. Although she is an accomplished long-distance trail runner, she insisted on sticking with slow mom, encouraging me up and over the many hills.

I drank water at every aid station. That helped. A little. Despite the heat, we made it across the finish line. I wasn't thrilled with my performance, but I met my goal - don't be last.

Following the Women's FIT Team training program, I also made it without injury. No blisters, no limping around due to muscle strain. I was merely tired and a little dehydrated. The team celebrated with Coach Judy later that day. We shared our race day stories, deciding which hill was the toughest, and complaining about the heat.

I use my love of running in my fiction writing. In the Rock Shop Mystery series, the main character becomes involved in charity fundraising races. I'm writing a book for a new Annie's Publishing series where one character is a runner.

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