Aruba Turibana 10k (6.25m) [Actually a 10.5k course / 6.56m]
6th September 2015, Turibana, Aruba
Finish Time (Paul) = 00:44:39
Finish Time (Leah) = 00:49:43
Leah: 1st Place Age Group (3rd Female)
Paul: 2nd Place Age Group
While on holiday/vacation in Aruba we learned that the Aruba Turibana 10k was being held the day after we arrived. What’s better than a beach holiday? A beach holiday that you can start off with a running event!
As it was a 10k we decided we were just going to go for it and see what would happen. My 10k PR was 47 minutes and I had set that back in 2008 when I ran my first one. We were also hoping that Leah might be able to win an award and come home with something from Aruba.
Aruba is always windy with the Tradewinds blowing through, which is nice when you’re lying on the beach in the hot sun but obviously is a factor in a race when you’re running into strong headwind. Also although the race started early to try to avoid the heat once the sun had risen, it was still warm and humid when we got to the start line.
There were some pretty serious looking Aruba Athletics Club guys there. There was also some Spanish music blasting out which made for a different starting area experience than what we’re used to. There’s always something special about taking part in the foreign race, especially one where the native language isn’t English.
The race started and I absolutely went for it. For the first mile I was actually able to keep the leaders and lead car in sight. I ran the first 3 miles in 6:37, 6:51 and 6:57. I slowed down a little for the next 2 miles as the headwind that we had to run into was so strong. It was hot too, at the aid stations they had small sealed plastic bags of water. You’d grab one and rip it open with your teeth and then drink / pour it over yourself, they were pretty effective.
The last mile was a tough sprint to the finish with a group of us trying to break from each other. The race director had actually said the course was long and is 10.5k (6.56 miles), which was a little annoying as then it means the time isn’t a true 10k one. If the course can’t be a 10k then it may as well be an 11 or 12k event.
Trying to get that all important watch time accurate
Gave it everything throughout the race
I crossed the line in 44 minutes 39 seconds, with my watch telling me that my time for the 10k distance had been 43:17. The guy in front of me who had broken away during the final sprint collapsed at the finish, and at first I was a little annoyed he had managed to out-sprint me and place ahead if it meant he had obviously pushed beyond his safe means. They sat him on a chair but he didn’t look too good. I realised I couldn’t be too annoyed as they ended up having to call an ambulance for him and he was taken away!
The Aruba fire service had a hose creating a water shower from their fire truck so I stood under that for a while and watched the finish line for Leah. I saw the first female come through, then the second. After that I spotted a person with the running form of Leah, her arms pumping back and forward. It was her! She crossed the line as the 3rd female with a time of 49:43 and a 10k split of 48:14.
It just goes to show these days we could definitely ourselves even better PRs when we’re away from the wind and heat.
We cooled down eating some fresh watermelon at the finish line and at the award ceremony found out I had won 2nd place in my age group (10th overall out of 261 finishers), with Leah winning 1st place in her age group!
Male 35 – 39 Age Group Winners
Leah 1st Place Female 30 – 34
We were presented with some huge trophies which we weren’t sure how we’d pack in our suitcases to take home. Not a bad problem to have though!
Elevation Graph from my running watch:
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