The Spooky 12k in Port Gamble isn't part of the Roots Rock racing series, but it's on the same course and kind of caps off the season up there. Mike and I were planning on it for the past week, but with nasty rain forecast we were a little hesitant. Luckily the morning was nice, chilly and cloudy but no rain. There was actually a really good crowd out there, and I figured the run would be fun. Not in shape enough to really race, and there were a few new faces there who looked fast anyway. The footing on the path was much better than what I expected after a few weeks with some wet weather, so that was nice. Mike and I were around top-10 range for the first two miles, then my left shoelace came untied. So I stopped and fixed the problem, my frozen fingers (I went without gloves) trying to do the job. Then 200m later my right shoelace did the same. Then another 200 or 300m down the trail my left did it again. So I lost a good minute with that hassle, I wasn't getting them tight enough because of the cold. So I had dropped back from Mike, and gone back and forth with a group of four people who were basically laughing at me by then. I settled into a pace that was comfortable but moving (I am out of shape), but got nailed on one of the big hills (luckily, it was pretty much the last one). The course returns mostly downhill, which was nice to get the legs going. A group of three passed me with maybe 2 to go, I kept them in sight but couldn't go after them in the last half. 49:02 total. Not my greatest race effort, but I was there to have fun and just enjoy a trail run. And I did that, can't feel bad about it. Also, if my count is correct, I've raced nine times this year, with at least one more planned to get me to ten. So maybe I'll achieve one of the goals I set out for in 2009.
supernova glide
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