Hi everyone! I’m so excited to recap my very first 12k ever: the Twilight 12k in Anchorage! I was really excited about this race, mostly because there was pizza at the end. Pizza = motivation for me to do anything!
Just spreading the word as I registered for the race. I legit run for pizza.
The race started at 7:00 pm on Friday night, which works really well with my current afternoon running routine (although please – it’s not like 7:00 is anywhere close to twilight in Alaska! Maybe 11:00 pm?). I made sure to be super careful about what I ate all day, and actually followed my usual race day fueling ritual of eating oatmeal two hours before the race even though it was 5:00 pm! The best part about this race was that my friend had flown in from Bethel to run with me, and her friend was in town as well. I’d never run a race with anyone so I was so excited! My strategy for this race was pretty simple: take it nice and slow and focus more on having fun than anything else. It was an automatic PR since it was my first 12k, and my friends were saying that they “didn’t train” and were worried about it. It was perfect running weather (60s and cloudy) and we were so excited to get started!
The course, brought to you by my RunKeeper app.
After the almost 1,000 6k runners headed out, it was time for the 1,200 12k runners to start. We took off down the streets of downtown Anchorage. As we crossed over Ship Creek, we hit mile #1 at 9:55! What?! I realized at that point that even with my friends being “unprepared”, they were really fast. And I could either keep up with them, or run slower alone. And I chose to stick with them! The miles started flying by – we ran up to Government Hill, flew back down the hill, and then ran through downtown to the coastal trail. And when I say that we were flying I’m not kidding! We were passing people left and right and I actually managed to recognize a lot of people at the race and slowed down to talk to a few of them before catching up to my friends. I NEVER pass people like that and it was such a crazy feeling!
At mile 4 I realized I could stop to take some Sport Beans, but that if I kept up my pace I wouldn’t technically need them because I’d be finishing so quickly. I decided to skip them and keep going. I continued to be happy and talkative until about mile 6 when my body started realizing that I was going way faster than usual. I let the girls talk and just tried to distract myself from how I was feeling. At mile 7 we had to go up a hill and I really thought I was not going to make it without taking a walk break – but I eventually did, and I sprinted to the finish screaming “LOOK HOW FAST I AM!” at Andrew as I ran by him.
My final results:
After the race all I wanted to do was eat my pizza. I earned it! But I stopped for a much-needed water break and had the chance to talk to one of my coaches about how great the race went for me. I also ran into the girls from my HTH training group who are at my tempo pace and they finished right around the same time as me. I’m probably going to have to run with them in the future if I want to run super fast again! After grabbing a slice of pizza and a grilled cheese sandwich I felt awesome and I couldn’t stop smiling.
Overall, I would highly recommend this race! What I loved:
- The race was at night! I love running at night so this was awesome!
- There was free Moose’s Tooth pizza and grilled cheese at the finish, along with cookies, fruit, root beer, and free beer in the rose garden! SO MUCH FOOD!
- The course was slightly different than the usual Anchorage coastal trail race route – I never go over to Government Hill so that was new.
- The race was pretty big and it was easy to run into lots of people you know.
- There were live bands along the course which made it way more fun.
What I didn’t really like:
- Why must all Anchorage races end on a hill?
- The race shirts were just cotton (no tech option) and there was no medal or anything at the end for finishers.
- The water at the end was in small cups, not bottles, and I was so thirsty. I’ll totally have Andrew carry a water bottle to my next Skinny Raven race so I can drink as much water as I want next time.
I will so run this race next year, and I’ll be gunning for another PR! But for now, I’m still on cloud nine about the way the race turned out. It’s been over a year since I ran paces this fast in a race of this length (my fastest 10k was at 10:04/mile). I imagined that I’d be running it a minute slower per mile so I’m shocked at what I was capable doing for so long. Maybe I’m closer to that half marathon PR than I thought?
Have you ever run a night race? Do you notice a difference when you run races with friends vs. alone?
Mom in the Mtns 
Congratulations on an awesome race! Great job keeping the pace up on that last hill. Races that end with uphills are the worst, you are so close to the end, but it is such a struggle to climb that hill.
I’ve done one afternoon race (4pm start). It was so difficult trying to figure out what to eat and when. I prefer morning races because I already have my nutrition figured out!
Thanks! Yes, and ALL races here end on a hill! It’s brutal. I did like that it was at my normal post-run running time, but I was super nervous about what I ate all day (I guess I’m usually not for my regular runs because they’re not as long/fast?). I’m glad my stomach cooperated!
That’s so awesome! It’s amazing what we can push ourselves to do. This is why I’m so excited to start running with a group!
Thanks! You will have so much fun running with a group – it has been interesting finding people who run at my pace/a little faster so that I can push myself and also have fun. I think I’m going to keep running with some of these girls after the training group ends because they’re so awesome!
Awesome job!! Pizza and grilled cheese after a race sounds amazing. I’ve done a few evening races and really liked them… I usually get my runs in after work so it’s when I’m used to running anyway. Running with friends is definitely more of a motivator for me because I don’t want to slow people down and so don’t take as many walk breaks and push myself more. Plus I get bored way less! 🙂
Me too! I love running after work so this race time was perfect. And that is so true about friends – I was worried at the end that I was slowing them down, and my friend wouldn’t let me stop to walk (I would have only wanted to walk that stupid hill!). It’s stressful when you feel like you’re slowing people down which is why I never ran in groups before, but I’m realizing that there are people out there running at all different paces and there are definitely people who are at my speed. I love it!
How fun! Way to go Kristen!!!
Thanks!
awesome job! it’s so fun when you get to surprise yourself. i definitely think you’re going to be able to break 2:30 in the half marathon soon! 🙂
I really really hope so!
That finish was the WORST (and I wasn’t a fan of the shirts either). But it was sure a fun one! Congrats on an awesome race!
Yes! I wish it would have ended on a much flatter note!
Congrats! What a great post-race spread.
Thanks!
Congrats on your strong race! I’m completely in agreement when races have only a cup of water at the finish- it’s definitely not enough!
I wish I could run more races with speedy friends! I think it’s a huge help, totally takes your mind off the pain of going fast 🙂
Yes it does! I was so distracted and the miles flew by!
Love this recap and the race looks like a lot of fun! “Look how fast I am!” was awesome too. It’s a good mantra to repeat for the next one!!
Haha I feel like anyone around me must have been like “WTF?” but I was soooo happy I had to say it!
Great race! I love that you PR’d and looked so happy coming over that finish line! it’s the best feeling. Pizza & grilled cheese are surely a winning combo.
I prefer morning runs and races, but I have done both at night, too. Whenever I race, I prefer to do it in the company of friends 🙂
This was my first race with friends and night race and I really liked both things! It was a great race and I’m so running it next year too!
Congrats!! Speedster 🙂 I am going to look at my schedule to see when I am looking at Alaska. Is there a site you recommend for looking for races in your state ? 🙂
Haha thanks 🙂 I’d look on Skinny Raven’s website to see their races since they have so many on there (the ones they host plus the ones they provide timing for). If you know an exact time you’re going to Alaska, you can check out the Alaska Runner’s Calendar (just google that) and scroll to the part of the year you’ll be here. They have a lot of smaller races in there. I’d honestly recommend a big race like the Mayor’s Marathon/relay/half on the summer solstice or Big Wild Life Runs in August, or anything on the Skinny Raven website because they’ll be big and fun! Let me know and I’ll totally run with you!
Yum, pizza and grilled cheese! That’s an interesting race distance. Congrats on the PR!
Thanks! Yeah I’ve never run a 12k before so that was pretty interesting!