So…I finished Sunday’s inaugural Crest Best Run Fest 10 Miler in Wildwood Crest, N.J., with my back and left leg feeling pretty good. That was a huge positive for me.
However, I finished in 1 hour, 43 minutes and 40 seconds…nearly 4 minutes over my best-case target time of 1:40:00. I’m not happy about that, but considering my herniated disc/left-leg numbness/soreness and subsequent lack of training in recent weeks, I guess I have to consider just finishing a success at this point. And, again, my back and leg really didn’t give me problems while running (driving a combined five hours in a span of 24 hours, though, was incredibly uncomfortable).
Also, the conditions weren’t exactly ideal for a “comeback” run. It was 71º F with 94% humidity in Wildwood Crest when I was leaving Brigantine (we stayed there the night before the race to be closer) to get to the race at 5:25 a.m. The forecast high for the day was 77º F. There was a lot of cloud cover for most of the race, which limited sun exposure so that was one saving grace.
Another issue was that around mile 7, the velcro straps I wear around my upper legs for IT band support started failing and I kept on having to stop to fix them. And then I would walk a bit to get back started on a light run. With about a half-mile to go, the left one just wouldn’t stay secure so I chucked it and went without it the rest of the way.
As I was approaching the finish line, I moved over slightly to the left to high-five the Sea Isle Ice mascot, which allowed another runner to pass me on the right as we crossed the line. All this did was ruin the finish-line photo for both of us since I still beat her by 17 seconds because of the difference in our starting times.
This was my second DelMoSports Elite Events race, with the other one being the 2014 Atlantic City Triathlon. Both times were incredible race experiences, capped off by the best post-race food spread in the game. Also, the safety pins were given out in four-pin chains at bib pickup! Who thinks to link four safety pins together ahead of time? That is crazy meticulous. Kudos to DelMoSports for another great experience!
[UPDATE: After posting, I remembered another nice touch. The final version of the medals apparently weren’t delivered on time by the vendor, so at the finish, each participant received a temporary medal and a note from the vendor apologizing and letting us know that our official medals will be sent to us soon.]
So, what’s next? Well, I need to keep training for the Philadelphia Marathon on November 18. On October 18, I’m scheduled for injections to hopefully resolve the lingering issues from my herniated disc. I really don’t know if I’ll be able to cover 26.2 miles a little over a month from now, but I guess I’m going to try.
Below is a photo slideshow from the Crest Best 10 Miler. Oh yeah! Another great thing that DelMoSports does…they get a sponsor to pay for free race photos! The course photos below are courtesy of Athletic Brewing Company.
Hare are video highlights from the inaugural Crest Best Run Fest:
Brian Kelley 