The Galveston Toughest 10K is the second run in the Texas Bridge Series. The first race was Kemah Toughest 10K, and the third race is the LaPorte Half Marathon next month.
The day before the race, the weather was sweltering and humid. I spent the day picking up my packet and walking around the outlet mall, so my first thought was if tomorrow is like this, it would be brutal. Fast forward to race day: 30 mph winds and 60 degrees. I must admit I was afraid to be running a bridge in those winds.
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Getting the race start required taking a shuttle to the beginning, usually buses, but this year it was passenger vans. I thought it was weird during the covid times with piling strangers into a van sitting on top of each other. To each their own, I wore a mask.
The race started on time, and the course was straightforward. It was a mile run to the bridge, then we crossed the bridge, got off the bridge at mile 2, and then back on the bridge to finish the race.
The wind was a big problem for me. Yes, it was unsettling and made it hard to run, but I was getting blown all over the place from being an unstable runner. I would pick up my feet a few times, and they would get blown out from under me. Runners should do their core workouts; you need a solid core to run in strong winds. People’s hats and bibs were flying all over the place. The wind was pushing people closer to the bridge wall, coming and going. The wind was never a headwind or tailwind. The wind pounded us from the side.
I finished the race at 1:29:32, which is my new standard 10K time. I walked more than I wanted due to the wind, and I managed to keep my miles within the 14/mile range. My primary training goal is to get a 13:44/mile consistent mile over a long distance. The medal from the race looks the same as the previous race. The bridge design represents the Galveston bridge, but at first glance, it looks the same, but with Galveston on it. Still, it’s a great quality medal.
The bridge run series is a great run series that benefits a great charity: The Bridge Over Troubled Water. The final run of the bridge series is a half marathon in November. The half marathon will be the longest I’ve run since March 2020. I’m excited. The progress I’ve made since working with my running coach is remarkable.
The key is to keep showing up, and putting in the work, even when it’s not your best work. That’s the best advice I can give you regarding running (or even life). Showing up strengthens mental toughness; you need to work through the hard times.
This message may have been a little profound for a race recap, but it’s something I needed to share with anyone who will be reading this post.
