She Runs by the Seashore

You know it’s going to be a tough one when the person making pre-race announcements is talking about how muggy it is out.

There aren’t many summer 10Ks around here — and maybe there’s a reason for that — but after running my fastest 5K in nearly four years at the Firecracker 5K in Rehoboth Beach, I was looking to test my speed at a 10K. I decided to sign up for the Great Wyoming Buffalo Stampede, held in Wyoming, Delaware, on July 15.

In order to run my fastest 10K since 2019, I would need to beat last November’s 1:02:37, a 10:06 pace. Even though my goal was to beat that time, I knew my chances would not be great.

First of all, it was hot and humid, despite a 7:30 a.m. start time. Second of all, I had donated blood a week-and-a-half before the race. I ended up running my slowest 10K race with a time of 1:09:42, and my previous slowest had also been a week after a blood donation (1:09:25 at the 2020 Mike Sterling 10K).

However, it was so humid that I was just happy to make it through the race and not have any medical issues.

Despite the weather, the Great Wyoming Buffalo Stampede was a well-organized small-town race with a fun atmosphere. The race, organized by the Downstate Delaware Striders and Riders, was celebrating its 44th year. It benefits the DDSR Memorial Scholarship for Kent County high school students, which I think is a great cause. It was affordable, at $35 for a registration the week of the event, and I donated an extra $10 to the cause.

On race day, I got up early, drove a little more than an hour to the small town of Wyoming and picked up my race bib at Wyoming Park. There were plenty of options for pre-race bathrooms, which I took advantage of. I did a super short warm-up of probably a quarter-mile or maybe even less, and got a photo with a mural. Then, I headed back to the start.

I clearly started the race too fast for the day, because I ran the first mile in 9:11. I did not keep up that pace.

After the first mile, I decided to take a 30-second walk break and decided I’d do that after each mile. However, the way I felt really changed after that first mile, because I quickly found myself struggling in the humidity. I looked at the weather on my phone before I started and saw a dew point of 72. I didn’t run with my phone, but when I checked it after finishing the race, the dew point had risen to 74.

Soon after deciding on the 30-second walk break after each mile, I realized I would need to walk a lot more if I wanted to make my run bearable in the weather. I decided on three-minute run/one-minute walk intervals, which I do often during group and training runs. Since I hadn’t brought my phone with me, I just looked at my watch for the intervals, and they weren’t exact. I walked at all of the water stops, so sometimes the timing would change depending on those.

Much of the course was an out-and-back on non-shaded country roads, and the course went past Fifer Orchards (where I was sure to stop afterward). The out-and-back allowed for five water stops, which were much appreciated. I’d brought a bottle to run with, but I usually prefer not to carry water for races, so I left it in the car. There were enough stops that despite the heat, I felt hydrated.

There was a guy with a hose at one of the water stops that I passed twice, and I gladly accepted both sprays. At the turnaround aid station, someone asked if I wanted them to throw water on me, and I said yes.

Even though I realized this would not be my day to run sub-1:02 and change, I was kind of trying for sub-1:10 as time went on, which I was able to do. I still would have been OK if I hadn’t made that time, as long as I made it to the finish in one piece.

At the finish, there were watermelon and peaches, along with water from a cooler. I walked back to my car to get my phone, and then back to the park to go in the sprinkler that was set up and get a couple photos and a video. The awards and post-race party were held outside Brown’s Tavern, where there was free beer. I hung out with Jen, J.R. and Karin there while we waited for the awards.

The 5K had 108 participants, while the 10K had 56. I came in fourth in my age group (female 30-34), and I was only 6.2 seconds from earning third place. I was able to speed up in the last part, and I didn’t have more energy, but I saw the third place runner in my age group finish just ahead of me.

Although I knew a few people at this race, including another runner, Liz, the vibe of this race reminded me of when I used to find small-town races and I would just go and wouldn’t know anyone there. I did run this race in 2015, and I ran the course in 57:50, which at the time was my slowest 10K race time (I’d love to run that kind of time now!). I did remember that the race was hot, which is probably what took me eight years to come back.

After the post-race party, I headed to Tre Sorelle Dolce and got a free Italian ice (there was a sticker noting this on the bib). I also bought an iced coffee there.

A couple things of note if you plan to run: There were men’s and women’s shirt sizes — I chose my unisex size when registering, but was easily able to get my women’s size when I picked up my shirt. The bib pins were also large and left holes in my shirt; I stopped using BibBoards after I had got chafing from one at a race, but you might want to bring your own bib fasteners.

My next 10K will be the Mike Sterling 10K on Sept. 2 in Crisfield. I hope to be able to beat that 1:02-and-change there — and if it’s another hot day and I have to slow down, so be it. If you’d like to join me at that race, use my referral link.

Splits

Mile 1: 9:11
Mile 2: 10:38
Mile 3: 11:58
Mile 4: 11:51
Mile 5: 12:05
Mile 6: 11:21
Last part (watch had .28): 2:37 / 9:26 pace

Final time: 1:09:42 / 11:13 pace on results; 1:09:43 / 11:06 pace on watch

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