three hour walk

with Earl Grey, hotToday was my first Capitol 10K. I’d often thought I would participate. Many years ago I ran an informal 10K with friends. I think my time was just under 60 minutes then. I rarely jog more than a few yards at a time any more. But I do go on long walks, usually 3 or 5 miles every other day. So I thought I was ready to walk the 10K.

Counting the walk from where I parked on W. 6th to the starting place at Riverside and Congress, and the walk back from the finish at Auditorium Shores to my car, it was probably 15 kilometers. From leaving my car to getting back in was just over three hours. I had hoped to maintain about a 15 minutes/mile pace. From start to finish, my elapsed time was 110 minutes, i.e., more like 18 minute miles. But if you subtract two rest room stops and purchasing an Earl Grey at Starbuck’s, I think my pace was about 16 minutes/mile.

There were lots of memorable moments. “It was fun. It was very fun.” There was music all long the route, guitar trios, bigger bands, steel drum bands, and a brass band at the half-way point playing the theme from “Rocky”.

It was raining for most of the first part, probably the whole race for the serious competitors. But we need the rain.

Here are my cell phone photos:

Starting of the Fun Run/WalkersWe're off to see the wizardCrossing Lake Lady Bird on Ann Richards Bridgemoving up Congress
east of the CapitolAustin's Finest Cadets, chanting in formationThe Conqueroo House a.k.a. Caswell House15th becomes Enfield
Best Rain Gear (a.k.a. tree costume)just past half wayfurther down MoPacbehind Austin High
crossing Lady Bird Lake againapproaching the finishat the finishat home

One Response to “three hour walk”

  1. Technologists notes » Blog Archive » another 15KM walk Says:

    […] was another Capitol 10K. Not a lot different from last year, about 15KM from parking to getting back in the car, a little under 3 hours total this year, about […]