Woke up late, didn't have time to eat breakfast. Ate 2 bananas on the hour drive up to Indy. Eagle Creek Trail Race started at 7:30a. I had no intention of racing this race hard - this was to be a long run on soft surface as part of marathon training. Originally started the race as a full marathon entrant, but, I opted out and switched to the half marathon. This course is a repeat of a half marathon distance out and back course around a nice lake area in the park, on 80% trails and 10% pavement/10% gravel. Sponsors North Face, Cliff and a bunch of others made for good post race loot, but the single track with all the other race distances was porrly organized and not optimal for racers. Race - Running in third place mile 3-7 with the guy I have come to rememberas the orange ravenna 3 guy. He surged ahead at a pace I could not handle at about 7 or 8 miles. Right around that same time, a chatty but pleasant fellow who seemed to be ready to surge ahead, passed by me, slowly (more later on that). Miles 7 - 11 were single track with the slower people going the opposite direction and I complete lost contact with oth of these guys through that section. This was pretty awful, I'm not going to lie. Momentum killers with dodging and weaving and stopping... Whatever - Anyway, it was probably good that that slowed me down and that I opted out of the second loop. I knew this wasn't a "race" for me and I was okay with that at this point. I kept telling myself - this is not the race you're training for... :)
12.77mi. - 1:48:47. This was 13th place in the half and 2nd age group - Loot: North Face water bottle, interesting plaque, medal/bottle opener, North Face T, and North face neon sleeves(my first pair of these things that the elites wear). :)
So, out of curiosity, I stayed to watch the marathon winner come in, who was surprisingly the chatty guy I had hung with for a little while on the first loop! :) The first and second place guys had been a little over a mile ahead after the first loop. This guy came in at something like 3:30 and had put about 5 minutes on second place (whoever that was) Guess I shoulda stuck with the marathon? :)
~1.25 of slow jogging to and from the car after PM: 6mi. MP - 40 min. 1 up, 1 down - feeling pretty strong and surprisingly not sore after this morning. Did this run at 4pm in about 85 degrees. Loops around the neighborhood. What is people's problem around here? I'm always friendly to people in the neighborhood. I had a guy stare me down as I ran by on one of the loops, so I gave a friendly wave. This guy (younger, thuggish looking guy that I've waved to before) This guy spits at me and continues to stare me down. The neighbors just ignore me and look away. Whatever. 8mi. total - 56:34
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