My training plan calls for a 15k race this week.  The closest I can find is the Fred Kurz Memorial 10 mile race hosted by my running club – the MDRA.

The race is only $5 for members and $8 for everyone else.  Membership does have its rewards! When I sent in my registration I didn’t realize this was a handicapped race.  Slow runners will start first and then we will all finish about the same time.

Here are the times I submitted (late):

Human Race 8k  2009 – 33:03  (6:38)
Giving Thanks 5k – 20:01  (6:26)
USATF-MN 10k XC – 43:09  (6:56)

The official entry says they will use the “”world-renowned” Lanin Guessimetric Method (implemented by Rick Recker)”. My research showed no handicap method with that name – so I’m guess it is a super special formula of guessing. We shall see.

My last and only 10 mile run was a DINO Trail race in Indianapolis.  My time for that was 1:19:11 (7:55) so hopefully I can beat that!  My current 15K PR is 1:03:24 (6:48) which would be right where I want to run on Saturday.   Based on that my goal will be to run 1:08 for 10 miles.  Based on the 2008 results this would place me pretty high overall (8th) and win my 10 year age group.

The Fred Kurz race will be an out and back along the Luce Line Trail (DNR) starting in Wayzata, MN.  The site says it is hard packed clay. However, there is currently construction on this segment of the Luce Line and all the site say is a “modified course” so that should be interesting.

Who is Fred Kurz?

From the race website:

Fred Kurz was a charter member of the Minnesota Distance Running Association. A resident of St. Paul, he attended Murray High School and the University of Chicago. He was killed in a bicycle-automobile accident in 1963. This race in his memory is the oldest continuously held running event in Minnesota.

[tags] Fred Kurz, 10 Mile, Wayzata [/tags]