I can't believe I let people talk me into doing this stuff. It was cold, colder than it has been in years. 1 below to start, 4 to finish. I have been getting ready all week though so I was curious to see if I would die or not. Mile 1 - screw going fast, I just want to finish. Face hurting, everything else pretty good. Trying not to breathe too fast but the first 2.7 miles are uphill 500 feet. Got a 7 minute anyway. Mile 2 - teeth hurting, throat a little cold. Really glad my wife knitted a nose flap onto my Where the Wild Things Are hat. End of nose flap starting to get hoarfrost. More steepness, 7:30 mile. I am in front and starting to go away. As long as I concentrate on blushing or radiating heat through my cheeks, I can still feel my face. Mile 3 - Get to the top and going down. Feet feel good, hands feel good, face coming back. Teeth are fine. I am going to go for it. I bag the aid station and keep going. Mile 4-8 - better and better, down in the low 6's, feeling warm, just have to keep remembering to force blood to my face. Mile 9 - Aaaa! Acid fog! Cough sputter stumble. Gag this stuff is foul. Entire face mask is now covered in delicate frost 1/8 in thick. Mile 10-11 - I am getting blinder and blinder, can't even read road signs any more. Still warm, face a little numb. Mile 12 - Wooo. Temple hill and I am a little tired running with all this gear. Oh well, I am so far out in front a little walk up this hill won't hurt and maybe I can start to see again. Crap! Where did Tony come from?!? He did it again! Arrghh ow ow ow come on get back on track.. Downhill, catching back up, now around the corner to the home stretch, dangit he got me. Oh well, I still got a crock pot :)
| 