Something is changing in my body. I've never felt this good so early in my training, and it almost feels like cheating. After one of our high school runners found out he was anemic, I started taking iron pills just on principle. I don't think I've ever tested low for iron. Anyway, I was surprised at the Orem Thanksgiving run with how good I felt and today was the same way. I can't know for sure if I can give the iron credit, but I have no other explanation for the way I feel. This race felt like a tempo run.
The other thing I learned is that nobody in the Tri-cities can put on a good race. The course was sparsely marked and it was a miracle I made all the right turns. Santa started the race without any warning whatsoever. And the timing was all wrong. Apparently the men's 5k was won in <12:20 and the women's 10k in 29:30. Hahahahaha, hohohohohoho. I had all kinds of people coming up to me afterwards saying, "Did she really beat you by that much?"
I warmed up with sophomore-Austin and hunted around for an open bathroom, an adventure in itself. There are never enough Port-o-Potties at these things so I ran across the street to a gas station and was delighted to find the bathroom open. Until I walked inside. First thing I noticed was fecal mater covering the sink, like somebody climbed up and squatted over it and let loose. Let loose like I've never seen before. Which in itself deserves some kind of award for the sheer athleticism. Of course there was no toilet paper or paper towels... And I'll cut that story short there. It was better than waiting in the Port-o-Potty line, I promise.
The rain stopped by the start and temps were somewhere below 40 and higher than 32, because thankfully there was no ice on the course. We've had ice like you wouldn't believe all week long and it barely melted in time. So, normally they have a Santa in a crane with a shotgun who starts the race for us, which is as cool as it sounds, but this year they decided to start it with a cannon. Which also had coolness-potential. Santa was still in the crane, but he was supposed to signal with his arms when the cannon would go off. He gave a 1 minute warning. 20 seconds later the cannon went off. I'm ashamed to say that I elbowed a high schooler out of my way to keep from getting boxed. I'm ashamed to say it... but I'd do it again if I had to.
Normally the best competition at this thing is in the 10k, but most of the college guys who are home for the holidays ran the 5k. Bummer. I did get one who is supposedly pretty good, but he finished in 33:50 and was a non-factor up front. Race starts up this old cable bridge that spans the Columbia river. Long uphill followed by long downhill. The whole thing is well over 1/2 mile long. Just before the mile the 5k guys split off and I discovered myself leading the 10k, which is not how I pictured it. 5:08 mile. A high school kid was with me and seemed to be holding on okay. I remembered some of his races against our guys and hoped he could push me for awhile. I let him pull alongside me hoping to share the pace, but he tried to take the lead and started fading shortly after as we climbed an overpass. Oh well. No 2 mile marker available.
No 3 mile marker available. The level of discomfort I felt in the race leveled off about here and never got worse.
4 miles reached in 20:57. Cool, a little slower than I'd hoped, but I was alone and close to my time from the Orem race. Guessed on a few of the unmarked turns. Correctly, it turns out. Reached 5 miles in 26:15. Thought I had picked it up at mile 4, but this was one of my slower miles.
The 5 mile mark turns you down into the industrial district of Pasco. There was one cone marking the 10k course and then I was supposed to take a left to head to the warehouse where the race finished. There were 4 lefts to choose from. 2 of them looked viable and neither had any sign of being the right one. I took the last one and was correct. The race officials were halfway down the road walking away from the turn. I'm trying to hold back my comments, but I want it to be known I'm seething inside even as I write.
5k and 10k finishes converged into a long straightaway into the warehouse. A long, muddy straightaway. Chip timing had me at 32:28, I stopped my watch a little late at 32:33, so I'm rounding to 32:32 for my race report. I trust my watch, plus 32:32 just has a cool look to it. *Correction - Official results posted on the web have me at 32:32.
I felt awesome. I wish I'd had someone there at the end. In Orem I finished in 5:01 and I felt equally as good here, just with no one to catch. I think there are good things to come this year.
The hot Dr. Pepper they served afterwards may have been the best part. And I won a 2-person 1-night stay at the Red Lion Hotel which I plan to pawn off for as much Mt Dew as I can get.
Splits:
1 - 5:08
2 through 4 - 15:49 (20:57)
5 - 5:18 (26:15)
6.2 - 6:17
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