For so many years Lawyers Have Heart was the race I love to hate, but with the new course, maybe it will become one of my favorites. You get to run an out-and-back on Memorial Bridge, around the Tidal Basin, and all but the tip of Hains Point.
2023 Lawyers Have Heart 10K Race Recap
At the new venue they had a huge event area set up with tons of porta-pottys (no lines!), various activities for kids, and a post-race beer garden. It was a very festive atmosphere on a cloudy morning.
Accessories for team photos laying down on the job!
Thanks to generous donations from friends like you, I had access to the VIP tent and an amazing breakfast buffet. I snagged a mini chocolate croissant pre-race, and came back for fruit and a scone to re-fuel. 🙂
Now, about the racing part. I have gone from a person who obsessively checks her Garmin constantly, to someone who never looks until it’s over. I didn’t even check my split times when my watch beeped every mile. I felt I was running as hard as I could sustain, and I didn’t want the numbers to mess with my head. I’m happy with my finish time and that my left ITB didn’t complain too much.
Mile 2 had the only slight downhill of the course.
When I first saw the new course, I thought running Hains Point counter-clockwise would make it better, and I think it did. (Most races have you run it in the other direction). On the way “out” you get a better view of the boats in the channel, and on the way “back” you get better views of the Potomac river and Virginia shoreline. Of course, having it be miles 2.5-5.5 of a 10K instead of miles 6-9 of a 10M may have something to do with it!
You Are Why
Lawyers Have Heart encourages participants to have a why behind their participation and fundraising. My whys have grown over the years, but my biggest why is you. I support the mission of the American Heart Association so you and others can live healthier lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
If you participated in this event or visited the webpage, you may have seen John Harrity featured and his law firm named as a main sponsor.
John was one of my Ragnar teammates when I did Ragnar D.C. in 2014.
Between then and now, he suffered a “widow maker” heart attack, but luckily survived. Since then, he’s become a huge supporter of the American Heart Association, and was co-chair of the 2023 Lawyers Have Heart event. I was glad when I saw his brother and got to chat with him after the race.
On the long walk back to my car (1.25 miles according to my Garmin!), I ran into another attorney I know, who told me about losing his wife (who was about my age) to a heart attack last year. 💔 She had been feeling unwell (vaguely tired, nauseated, some shortness of breath) and was actually at a cardiologist appointment when it happened but no one had thought she was in a critical state. 💔 He is spreading the word about the unusual symptoms women can experience—a major focus of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign—heres a refresher on what to look out for and take seriously.
Now that I’ve run my third race of 2023, my race calendar is empty. I may sign up for something in the fall, but I need to let my ITB quiet down for real before I make new plans.
A huge thank you to Deborah and Kim for hosting the Weekly Run Down link up.
Do you monitor your pace during a long run or race?
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I don’t like to be too tied to my Garmin during a race either, as it totally can mess with my head. I like to focus on my effort and ensuring I’m giving the best effort for the day. 🙂
Oh, this refresher on symptoms is great, thanks for sharing!
Great job on the race Coco!
Thanks! It was a good route for a change!
A great cause to run for and well done on your efforts. Hope to be able to run it with you one of these times. I like the new course route as well
This would be a great one to do together. <3
Such a great cause to run for! Congrats on running a strong race! I hope your ITB quiets down soon.
Thanks. It’s been getting better so I hope some more cut back time is all it takes.
Congratulations! And, thank you for bringing awareness to this issue. A few weeks ago, a friend of my husband’s suffered a widow-maker and unfortunately did not survive- he was 55. I read your links to John Harrity’s story and your article on what symptoms women should look for. Anyway, it sounds like a great race for a great cause, and I’m glad you did well and felt good. Hope your IT band is getting some good rest this week!
It’s really sad and scary to hear about it happening to people so young – my age!
Thanks for reading the links. I try not to be too repetitive in my annual posts, but some things are worth repeating.
What a great cause and I’m glad you had such a good race! Congrats!
Wow, look at that breakfast buffet. Amazing 🙂
And congrats on a great race. Awesome pace!! It looks like a fun race course, I have to say.
Great job on your race! Interesting about your Garmin glancing…I check it at the mile marks (most of the time), but only as a point of reference. I have never been one to try to for “faster” splits, though I do try to slow my pace if the splits are looking too fast to maintain.
Well done, Coco! 55 minutes for a 10k is a very decent time, especially it if had a few hills in it.
I love that VIP buffet! And as for having TONS of portapotties – what a nice luxury.
It sounds like your ITB is calming down. If you decide to do another race this year, which one are you likely to pick?
What an important cause… and great buffet!!
Three races with some of your niggles is a big win. Hope the ITB quiets down and you can race more.
No I never monitor my pace ever but I do look after a race.
I know you were on the fence about continuing this one, but it seems like it’s great that you did. This is an important cause.
Great job overall! Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Congrats Coco, great job on this race and what an incredible cause. A few years ago our company lawyer who is younger than me had a heart attack AT WORK. He survived and eventually came back. From the time he had his heart attack, my former company immediately implemented new safety courses gave tips on what to look out for. Someone trained in CPR saved him that day and we were so grateful.
Congrats on another great race! I love that you do this race every year. It’s so critical to get the word out about heart health. A former co-worker of mine lost her husband to a heart attack a few years ago. She is now a huge supporter of AHA and I love to see her supporting her local branch in Wisconsin.
Nice job on your race! I think it would be interesting to run Hains Point in the opposite direction. I’ve running it many times and always “counter clockwise.”
I hope your IT band calms down between now and your next training cycle.