A 49 MINUTE 10K: Classic 10K in Middletown, NY

On June 7, 2015 I ran my first 10k.  For those used to American distance calculations, that’s 6.2 miles.  The Orange County Classic10K is the historic running route of Frank Shorter – the 1972 Olympic Gold medalist in the Marathon.  Mr. Shorter grew up in Middletown, NY.  Since I was there on behalf of the County Executive, I was invited to share a few words with the crowd.  Given that I’m the County Attorney, responsible for defending the County in all litigation, my advice was simple:  have fun and run safe.   In my head though, I was planning on pushing for a finish line of under 50 minutes, which is a pace of about 8 MPH over those 6.2 miles.  My previous best 10K on a treadmill was 53 minutes, but this was a road race, and you do run faster outside I think.  I was very pleased to sneak in under 50 minutes by a whopping 19 seconds.  Even a greater thrill, Mr. Shorter ran the 10k himself.  To run briefly with an Olympic gold medal marathoner is a rare privilege.  Mr. Shorter, somewhere over age 65 made one request, when and if we passed him we were to tell him he was looking good.  No question, 43 years after winning the Olympic Gold medal he was looking good.