Notch Brewing and Notch Run Club was hosting the USATF New England 10K Road Race Championship in Salem. The forecast of cooler temperatures (60’s) and rain was spot on but did not dampen the spirit of over 900 pre-registered runners for the 9AM start on Congress Street. I ran a chip time of 52:49 (8:29 / mile pace) a year ago. I felt that a goal of 8:00 pace was possible with a 5K time trial four days ago of the same effort.
I warmed up for about a mile before getting into the start line around peers who would be breaking 50 minutes. The course headed down Derby Street, through the Salem Willows, coming back to central Salem taking the mile 3 spot near the Hawthorne Hotel with and average of 7:50 per mile. Mission accomplished but many puddles and only have way done. Heading down Lafayette Street got me thinking about the Salem State College days – a long time ago, seeing the Sullivan Building in the distance before heading into Forest River Park where many xc workouts took place with the team. Mile splits turned into the low 8’s from there to the finish line with quiet back roads parallel to Lafayette Street.
I crossed the new finish line, now steps away from Notch Brewing with a chip time of 49:36 (7:58 / mile pace). I placed 50th out of 69 in the old guy category. I felt good about the effort. Good work in planning for, well, I guess some cross country race distances from 5K to 8K in the next two plus months into the fall.
Splits: 744, 753, 752, 800, 810, 810, 743 (last .24)
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