Way late with this race report, but here it is. After the race, which came on the heels of an incredibly busy week, I left a few hours later for Alaska. After a week of vacation there (without looking at a computer) I'm finally get back into my routine here. So far running hasn't been a part of it, but hopefully I get back out again soon. Anyway, the race... Whaling Days is one of the biggest local runs, it's part of the Whaling Days festival. Really warm morning for it, and they start at 9 so it was pretty hot when we took off. I recognized a lot of guys at the start, and knew some of them would be fast. Shane Moskowitz, who won the state high school boys titles in the 1600 and 3200, was going to lead the pack. Another prep runner who placed at state in the 1600 and 800 was up there also. So I wasn't going out gunning for anyone. I let the pack of high school runners take off, though I tried to keep my eye on one guy in my age group who I go back and forth with at local runs. He always starts fast and I didn't try to stick with him at the line (plus it was really crowded the first 400, and I was caught back). The race heads out Silverdale Way and turns uphill just after the mile. I did a 5:36, which was about the pace I wanted. Up the hill I slowed the tempo some, and ended up at 6:31, which was too slow, ultimately. I was in a pack of high school runners who have yet to learn tempo (they rush ahead, then you catch them in 30 yards, then they rush ahead again). The course is fairly even for the third mile, and I could see the guy I usually chase but didn't gain much ground. I felt good though and ran a 5:58. Then the last mile has a steady, but not steep, descent. I reeled a few guys in, caught a guy with a ponytail down the stretch after making the turn back onto Silverdale Way, and finished with a solid kick for a 5:23 last mile. I was pretty winded and the heat was getting to me by then. The guy in my age group I chase beat me by 20 seconds, so I didn't have a realistic shot at him.
Waited for my brother to finish, watch Mike's kid run 40 yards or something in the little guys' dash, then cooled down for a mile and went home to pack. Good race for a Saturday morning, and a nice little chance to do some speed testing. Good thing I did it, too, because after a week of hiking up north instead of running, that fitness isn't neccessarily around anymore.
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