Nike Human Race Race Plan. For the Race.

As usual, this is a bit exhaustive. But this is an interesting course, it’s an evening race in freakin’ August, and most of you haven’t run a 10K, or… any K’s, in a while.
OK, the course is something new. It was originally going to be on the Round-Up course, but that would have been dull, so we’ve got this. I’ve run it in pieces, most recently taking the Nike Club runners out on it last weekend.

The course map, such as it is, is at http://inside.nike.com/blogs/humanrace-en_US_AUSTIN/2008/08/04/the-official-nike-human-race-10k-course

I’ve mapped it out on Gmaps to get a (rough) idea of elevation changes. I know it says 6.3 miles. Ignore that. http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2211157

Preparation

Hydrate. That’s really all I have to say. I know everyone’s wondering why this race is in August, in the evening. Simply enough, there are 25 other cities worldwide having the race on the same day. If we wanted it, it had to be August 31.

So, it’s gonna be warm, but actually, right now, the forecast for 7pm is 88 degrees, 51% humidity (!), and partly cloudy. The rain from earlier in the day should have dissipated.

For a 10K, I’d say you could eat somewhat normally, but I’d eat lunch at 12 or 1:00, get some carbs, then have a light snack or two later in the day. Going in a little hungry is OK.

Getting to the Race

OK, one really cool thing this race’ll have – bike valets! The bike area will be secured and staffed – you don’t even need your lock.

Downtown is going to be a clusterfrak (yeah, BSG geek). South First will be closed for Bat Fest (because Your Living Room and Sherry Matthews and other business are getting pissy about street closures), the state garages north of the Capitol will be taken up by the Pat Green concert goers, and south of the river, they’ll be staging for the Austin Tri Monday morning… it’s gonna be wacky.

The Nike site says parking will be available in the state parking garages along Trinity St. north of 12th St. – I wouldn’t count on that. You can park in any public metered spot or in paid surface lots. I’d come in from the east or west, stay well outside the course, and park on the street. Consider car pooling, or use Cap Metro (www.capmetro.org).

The Race

You'll start at 6th and Congress, at 6:30pm. There’ll be a good, wide start gate.

Here’s the thing - from the start to the turn at 2nd, it’s just slightly downhill. Just a seven or eight foot drop in elevation, but it’s over four blocks, just enough for your legs to feel a little too good. People will be excited, and many will be inexperienced. There’s also going to be all kinds of silliness at the start to get people hyped.

First rule of racing – anyone? Anyone? Bueller? DON’T GO OUT TOO FAST. The corollary to that is: run your own race. Not getting sucked into everyone else’s pace and being mindful and disciplined is your first and one of your most important challenges. Go out too fast here, and you’ll pay later.

Right now, just think about your body alignment, getting your hips under you, getting a slight forward lean from the ankles, not the hips. Head up, arms and shoulders relaxed. Just start off relaxed, and let the other 7,000-8,000 people around you go nuts and blow themselves out.

Don’t burn energy bobbing and weaving too much – let them slow you down a little. Be watching, and look for lines that let you thread through people efficiently. Be aware of your surroundings, and don’t cut people off. It’s rude, and you don’t want to end up eating asphalt. People will often hear you coming and slide over a little. It's OK to go through a gap between people, but nice to let them know. Sometimes, someone (usually someone wearing damned headphones) will start drifting over in front of you. The "accidental" light tap of your hand on their elbow will usually wake them up and get them to slide over.

Start setting yourself up for the left turn onto 2nd. With this many people, you don’t want to get pinched in the corner, or pushed out too far. Try to stay in the middle. If you’re on the inside, be careful, because you may have to go up and over the curb.

2nd is still an almost imperceptible downward grade. Another left onto Trinity, and it’s the slightest climb to 6th. Right on 6th to Red River – easy, flat to slight downslope.

Left on Red River, a water stop, and now the fun begins. In four blocks, it’s a steady climb of 24-26 feet. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a good, real hill. Here’s where you should start really thinking about your hill climbing form – press those hips into the hill, keep your head up, and use your arms to set the pace for your legs. Stay relaxed! Let these hills take a little bit of pace. You’ve got a lot more to come, and some good downhills that will give a little back.

Those of you who run the Turkey Trot know that 11th Street is no help. 36 Feet in three blocks. Big fun.

Right turn onto San Jacinto, and the very slight hill for half a block should feel like the beginning of a recovery. Shake out your arms, and relax into the downhill, feeling your breathing and muscles get a little reprieve.

On the long downhill to 15th Street, do not go crazy and try to gain time. Again, those of you who have run the Cap 10K down this hill know that people go flying down it, only to crash and burn slogging up 15th. Maintain form – hips under you, light turnover, not letting your stride lengthen out too much, not letting your knees get any straighter than usual, and not striking too much on the heel. Even if you’re conservative and hold back a bit, your turnover will increase (hello, gravity) and your stride will naturally lengthen a bit. You’re going to get some time back here, and you’ll get a lot more in the last two miles of the race, so just let it happen naturally.

Water stop 2 is at 13th and San Jac. Tell them thank you, but you’re really looking forward to Rob’s water stop, which is supposedly really cool.
Left turn onto 15th, and a good hill – about a 24-25 foot climb over two blocks. Just be glad you’re not going all the way up. If you’ve done this right, you’re going to see some of the people that zipped by you on San Jac.

Right turn onto Congress. A little downward grade to MLK. Look for water stop three, at the end of mile two, in front of the Bob Bullock Museum – I’ll be there at that water stop, yelling at you.

Right turn onto MLK, and a nice downhill. But then back up to Red River. This is a long grind, even after the left turn onto Red River. In fact, just look forward to climbing 90 feet in about half a mile, from San Jac and MLK all the way to Manor and Red River.

Ignore the Nike map here – it says you’re turning on Robert Dedman. Unless 26th has a third name there, you’re turning left on 26th/Dean Keeton. A long, glorious downhill where you’ll get back about 70 feet of that last climb. Again, though, don’t go nuts. Hold what you got, be patient. Red River to Guadalupe is just the fourth mile, and you’ve got a long, tough uphill ahead, from San Jac all the way up to Guadalupe. Take a deep breath, shake out your arms, relax, and hit the hill at a steady pace. Keep that head up.

Left on Guadalupe. You’ve covered four miles. Shake everything out, and relax. Up to now, you should be periodically assessing your pace, preferably on the few flats you’ve gotten, not when the uphill is sucking or the downhill is effortless. But in terms of finishing the race and possibly upping your pace, this is the first time to really look at what you’ve got in tank. If you can turn the pace up, do it, but do it gradually.

At about 23rd and Guadalupe, you start getting a downhill, and your legs should start really feeling a little bit of life again.

Right on MLK, downhill. Right on Lavaca. At 15th, you’ve covered five miles. Look again at what you have left for this last mile. Lavaca is mostly flat to about 11th. If you’re racing this, trying to push yourself for time, and you’re in reasonable condition to do so, now's the time to dig in and do it.

I like to look at a course beforehand and pick out three-four “go points”, at which I’ll push the pace up. I PR’ed one 5K in which I was horribly hung over, because I planned ahead, and had it set in my mind where I was going to turn up the pace.

Past 11th, the downhill is steep enough that you can let it carry you a little. This is a go point. Remember, do it with proper form, hips under you, and quicker turnover, not longer stride. With a mile left, you can be pushing your breathing and heart rate up a bit. Stay relaxed!Left on 9th, right on Colorado, and here’s your payoff – a steady 100 foot drop in half a mile! Keep your form, but go – you’ve only got about 1,000 meters left, 500 of it downhill.

Left turn on second – don’t let up the pace as it levels off. Hang in, you’re close.

Left on Congress. Go point. Pick someone ahead of you, and decide to gradually catch and pass them. At this point, choose your prey wisely, and pursue them patiently. Then pick another. Crank out three blocks, to 5th, then kick it all out to the finish on 6th – use faster turnover, really moving the arms – don’t try to muscle or stretch the legs to the finish – you don’t want to pull a hamstring, here.

Get your very cool finisher's award. Drink beer. Listen to music.