She Runs by the Seashore

I didn’t meet my time goal at this year’s Mike Sterling 10K, but I did walk away with the sweetest prize of all — a Smith Island cake.

I’ve been running the Mike Sterling 10K in Crisfield since 2012, and it has always held a special place in my heart after the community members there saved me that first year when I didn’t hydrate enough and suffered from heat stroke. Since then, the race has grown a lot (one year, I won first overall female — those days are long gone with the race’s current registration numbers!), and I have also grown in knowing what my body can handle. Now that I’m thinking about it, this is my longest consecutively-run race ever!

When I first went to Crisfield for this event, I didn’t know anyone; this year, when I arrived, it seemed like every few steps I was saying “hi” to another friend. It still has the small-town race vibe, and Crisfield is a friendly community.

I had hoped to run sub-1:00 after running 1:00:33 at this race last year, but I didn’t have full confidence in my ability to do that on this day. Last year’s weather was cooler than usual for Labor Day weekend, and although the temperature was not super high on this year’s race day — Aug. 31 — it was humid. The temperature was in the 70s, but after the race, I checked my weather app and it said there was 88 percent humidity with a dew point of 70. This was my first 10K race since the Bay Bridge Run in November.

After a brief warm-up and some group Eastern Shore Running Club photos, the race began at 7:30 a.m. My first mile was the only one that was on-track for a sub-1:00 finish — 9:37 — and I knew I wouldn’t be able to keep that up. I didn’t feel terrible, but I also didn’t think I would be able to hold on to that pace.

After running this race for so many years in a row, I know the course well. The first part takes runners on the main stretch, then by the Somers Cove Marina and on an out-and-back by the water before heading into a residential area.

I noticed that when my watch buzzed at the three-mile mark, I was at exactly 30:00. This was good, but I also knew I would not negative split for the 6.2 miles, and my pace started slipping after that. Around this time, I came upon Woody. We were together for a brief time, but then he pulled away and ended up finishing a few minutes ahead of me.

I ended up walking as needed; of course, I’m now writing this a few weeks later, but my watch data shows six walk breaks.

I slowed down during Mile 4 and 5, with times of 11:11 and 11:35, and then gave it what I had for the last mile, which is a straightaway along the main road, the end of Route 413. For that mile, I ran 10:48, and then pushed it to a 9:20 pace for the last bit.

Crisfield is super flat, and my watch logged 15 feet of ascent and 13 feet of descent over the 10K course. My time was 1:05:41, a 10:34/mile pace, which is not my slowest time at this race but also far from my fastest. That pace is faster than what I would normally do for a regular run.

Runners each got a T-shirt featuring the iconic crab pot arch finish line — Crisfield is the Crab Capital of the World — along with free photos. I picked up my packet the evening before, so I also got a coupon for a free bowl from Playa Bowls. The race offered custom Popsicle awards for overall and age group winners.

In addition to the awards, there were also plenty of door prizes — and many people had left, which heightened the odds for those of us who stayed. One year, I won a pound of crab meat at this race; some of the other prizes given away included a bushel of crabs and gift certificates for free shoes from VP Shoes. This year, I was the proud winner of a Smith Island cake! I have a major sweet tooth, and that was the perfect prize for me.

I’ll be back for my year 14 and the race’s 46th year in 2025!

Splits

Mile 1: 9:37
Mile 2: 10:11
Mile 3: 10:12
Mile 4: 11:11
Mile 5: 11:35
Mile 6: 10:48
Last bit (watch had .23): 2:06 (9:20 pace)
Final: 1:05:41 on watch and results (10:34/mile pace on results – 10:33 on watch)