Well the weather couldn't have been better (40's) and I couldn't be happier with the race results. I was nervous because I knew in order to make my goal of sub 1:30 I would have to run at a good clip the entire time. I was open with anyone who asked me what my goal was because I believe that telling people what your goals are makes you feel that much more accountable to accomplish them. I was happy to meet up with Troy A. and Paul C. before the race and we boarded the bus together. Then Sherm S. got on the bus and we had a nice ride to the start line and porta potty central where the group split up.
It was a mass start so I positioned myself at the front which still feels kind of weird to just assume that I'm faster than so many fit looking people, but since I've been in the top 25 of each of these races I can't see lining up at the back so I can weave through a crowd to get to my eventual pecking order in the race. John W. called the race into action and off we went. I was running with a group of people that were faster than me and I let them go rather than bury myself too badly early in the race. I had my goal and it was to average 6:52 or better, but 6:52 would be just fine with me.
I ran the first mile at 6:16. Faster than I wanted too, but it's so hard not be somewhat pleased with banked time. Something you know you shouldn't have if you're running the race correctly, but you're glad it's there. Everyone says this is a fast course, and it is, but it's not the downhill festival some people think it is. There's 782 feet gross downhill with 208 feet climbing. Most of the course is rollers around a lake. After letting the elites move on, I had a few more runners pass me in miles 2-5 which I ran progressively slower from 6:30 to 6:43. These two or three people I figured I would pass ahead of before the race was over. One of them had a jacket on and the other one whom I later came to know as Mike had the word "Staff" on the back of his shirt. My wife was riding her bike along the course, taking pictures and cheering for me. I saw her about mile 5 and mile six I picked up the pace to show off a little at 6:41. One guy that passed me looked familiar from the back even though I later learned that I did not know him, but should have worked 11 seconds harder to beat him since he was in my age group.
At mile 7 the race begins its route around the lake. It starts with a decent uphill climb and then goes through several rollers. My breathing patterns were changing as I ran downhill and switched to uphill. The 1/2 is a strange distance because it's still short enough that you feel you can push yourself fairly hard and you know it will be over before long. I'm not sure how I feel about extrapolating my results from the 1/2 to the full because the full is...well obviously twice as long. Miles 7-10 were run at between 6:45 and 6:51 and I knew in this time that I was going to start consuming my prescious banked time. But I knew that every mile I logged at 6:52 or less would work in my favor at the end. I passed two runners in this section and hit the barn corner and headed west. There was an aid station at mile 10 and since I hadn't eaten or drank anything I stopped and guzzled some gatorade. This seemed to hit my stomach in a heavy way and I wasn't sure if it was the right decision, but off I went trying to push myself for the final 5k.
About mile 11.5 I caught up with Mike AKA "Staff" and we pushed each other to catch the next guy ahead of us who looked like he wasn't running very fast at all, yet he was ahead of us. As we drew closer we saw that he was really tall, so his turnover was slow, but the real estate consumption rate was high. Lisa took some pictures of me about here and I asked her to meet me at the saloon in Eden. That gave me a good goal to work for. I ran hard for mile 12 and Lisa cheered for me as I asked her to meet me at the finish line. I left Mike behind and passed the tall guy who appeared to be favoring a bad knee at this point.With one mile left and 6:44 showing on my watch I knew I was going to make my goal. I even wondered if there might be a 1:27 something at the finish line. I passed the final intersection and ran as hard as I could to the big u-turn into the Red Moose Lodge parking lot. Down the road I could see the finish line, Lisa's yellow biking jacket and 1:27's ticking off the clock. She told me to run! I knew I couldn't keep the 27's, but was pleased that I was able to sprint to the finish.
I was spent. 1:28.20 was the final score. I had met my goal and it felt great. My friends were all very gracious as they congratulated me at the finish. It made me feel kind of embarrased, but good at the same time. It was fun to talk to some of the other people that I've met during the series including Kam from the blog who's headed to Boston soon. I ended up getting 3rd in my division and 23rd overall. | 