6:15 PM - Temperature was 85 degrees, hot, and humid. It was horrible all day, and I was kind of sore from all the runs the last two weeks. Found that I had run six days in the last week and eleven days in the last two weeks. I feel fine, but fatigued, and my body is still struggling to get used to running again, especially now that I've added Vibram Five Fingers to my training. Emma was here and I stopped by and picked up my friends Jonathan and Jeremy from Jon's house too on the way. We were all excited, and although Emmy had her running stuff, she didn't want to race, despite all of us offering to cover her $4 entry fee.
WARM UP: After getting to the race spot in Wilton and registering, I went on a warm up jog with Emma, Jonathan and Jeremy. My brother Jonny wasn't there today because he had to work at a Coldplay concert at SPAC in Saratoga Springs. We did a half mile warm up in 4:56 (9:52 pace). Felt good. Jogged back to the starting line and stretched. Was getting anxious and wasn't sure how the race was going to go. Jonathan put in his iPod headphones and got ready to zoom off. I kind of knew he would beat me. I am not sure why, but it seems like him and Jonny are naturally gifted. I run substantially more miles than them and am never able to beat them in the 5k. I'd probably hold my own in anything longer than a 5k, but I guess I just don't have the speediness they do. I am hoping that more 800s will help develop my speed.
THE RACE:
MILE 1: (7:23) Got sucked up into race fever. Jonathan hung next to me and we pushed the pace, through the first two hills before settling into a rhythm on the flat sandy part leading into the ninety degree turn. At this point I was in 13th or 14th place, and I could still see the leader heading off into the woods in the other direction. Jonathan stuck by me until the one mile marker and then took off.
MILE 2: (7:27) A long hard mile with several climbs. Went past a kid that was only 13 or 14 with a Boston hat on and he said, "Man, you're fast!" I said. "Nope. I just had a good pace maker that first mile. You are doing great man! Try to hang with me and we'll get this thing done." (He did hang with me until about the road crossing where he faded. He ended up finishing about a minute or two back from me, still a great run for someone so young!). What I have noticed is a lot of younger runners go out way too fast, only to die a violent and horrendous death out there on the course and struggle home. I ran hard and crossed the road. The crossing guard said, "Looking good. Hang in there. You're eleventh!" I also heard someone yell "Good job Benn!" I thought it was my former teacher, but then I found out at the end of the race it was Emmy cheering me on!! I crossed the road and could see Jonathan down the trail about 100 meters. I wanted to catch him, so I kept the pace high.
MILE 3+: (8:21 [7:35 pace avg]) The last mile is gruesome with huge uphills, and bone shattering downhills during the last half mile as the course descends around a pond. I could see Jonathan towards the end but knew I had no chance at making ground on the single track, as there were technical crossings of a couple bridges and divits. I continued to hold the pace, but could feel my legs starting to give out. I was thinking to myself, "Just get to that finish line!" Crossed the line and got the results. 11th place, an improvement of two places from last race, though my time was only 23:12, 12 seconds slower than last time. Jonathan ran a 22:55 and barely beat me. I am going to have to try harder to beat him next time. Jeremy struggled in, and I almost went to look for him, but he got home in 34:55 or something. He doesn't run much and hadn't run since that run last Monday I helped him with. Still a nice result!
COOL DOWN: Emmy went for a cool down with me. She had already done a few miles during the race. We jogged to the car so I could change as I was really sweaty, then we jogged on the road up a little bit, under a narrow bridge and back. On the way back we saw a train pass overhead. Cool stuff! Stretched at the car. (10:19)
After the race I drove Jeremy and Jonathan home and then took Emmy down to Colonie Center to meet her parents. She had to get home so she could rest up for her surgery tomorrow. She has about three days of surgery this week so she needs her rest!
Total Time: 38:27 Total Distance: 4.6 miles Average Pace: 8:21/ mi | 
