oiselle tenacious 10 race report

Oiselle Tenacious 10k Race Report – Elizabeth Carey

oiselle tenacious 10 race reportRace: Oiselle Tenacious 10k

Runner: Elizabeth Carey

Date: 4/21/2018

Location: Gas Works Park, Seattle, WA

Results: 42:24, 41st overall out of 678 runners

Strava Activity Link: https://www.strava.com/activities/1522752599

3 Bests – What aspects of the race did you like the most?

  1. High-energy running crowd with lots of cowbell-ringing spectators and fun pace-group leaders, including shero Lauren Fleshman.
  2. Mostly flat, this course runs fast.
  3. Popular Seattle loop route starts and finishes at Gas Works Park, with stellar views of the city.

Not so much – Aspects of the race that didn’t do it for you

As someone who’s converted to trail racing, it was awkward to run on a slanted road again (especially when dealing with sciatica); but the road provided a decent berth and is obviously wider than the bike path (an alternative), which was frequented by other joggers and cyclists on a nice Saturday morning.

Weird factor – What’s the weirdest thing about this race?

I only ran the 10k, but it seemed the 10-mile course — which adds on to the Lake Union loop with an out-and-back along the canal — featured several hairpin turns which confused some racers.

Highlights of your race – What did you do well and enjoy about your race in particular?

I ran this race for fun — not gunning for a good time but cruising (a training compromise as it was a week out from a goal 50k). I ran a few miles to the race for a warm up (perk for any Seattlites who want to run-commute to the central start/finish) and used the race as a portion of my last long run before my big upcoming race. I was able to tuck in with the 7-minute-per-mile pace group led by Lauren Fleshman for the first portion of the race. It was a great event to see good running buddies and meet new ones!

Lessons Learned – Share your pro-tips on the race to help the next runner or yourself on the next time around

While a handful of pros and elites show up, the race isn’t very crowded at the fast end of the spectrum — but with the flat and fast course would be a great place to shoot for a PR!

Most important course specific knowledge to know about the race

The only hills include two on-ramps to bridges (University and Fremont). With one downhill mile along Eastlake, the rest is flat.

Organized and well run – Did it feel like a well-oiled machine or were they flying by the seat of their pants?

This race had a laid-back feel and went off just fine; the only potential hitch may’ve been a confusing portion of the 10-mile course.

Logistics – Anything special regarding getting to/from the race, hotels around the course, registration…?

Registration was a breeze; packet pickup and other race-week events with Oiselle pros Lauren Fleshman and Kara Goucher among others took place in the University district. For locals, the race is easy to get to — either by running, Uber/Lyfting, bike-sharing and, if you arrived early for street parking, car.

Weather and typical race conditions

While the week leading up to the race had been gray and rainy, we lucked out with sunny weather! The wind made the morning feel a bit brisk but it was beautiful with spring-like conditions.

Spectators – Is this a friendly course for your friends?

Yes! They can easily access the route at any point around Lake Union, as well as at the Gas Works Park start/finish area.

How’s the swag?

Awesome! Oiselle hooked it up with a great Flyte tank, hat, and killer cowbell-finisher-medal. There were donuts and other goodies at the finish-line festival, too.

The Overall Score – How many stars do you give this race and do you recommend that others run it?

4 stars for a fun, convenient event that’s great for anyone looking for a flat/fast 10k!