What a great day. When I put in sessions like this I see my running potential unfolding in ways I had not imagined. After
checking in at race registration I passed Mike I. Last year Mike and I
had some fun speed sessions at the track, and he won the 2008 master runner
of the year award with our running club. He expressed surprise at
seeing me, thinking I had left the running scene because it had been
months since I had participated in a race. I explained my winter injury, and
then he told me he heard I had signed up for the Howl race in August.
I laughed, good news travels fast. When I started my 2.5 mile
warm-up I was happy to find that my legs felt on edge and ready to roll.
I had forgotten how potent race day adrenaline can be. It had been a
long time since I felt the running fire burning hot. When I
lined up to start the race Mike made a place for me next to him. I told
him I would be happy to break an hour. "I will bet you a six pack that
you break an hour", he joked. I was ready to shake his hand, but then I
pulled it back, because I knew I was most likely going to break an
hour. "Well, I probably will break an hour, if I do I will be happy", and soon we were off. I
started off a bit quicker than my long run pace, so I was moving slow,
but I felt great, and knew that at any time I could put in a burst and
pass a lot of people. But I also knew that I had not run a sustained
hard pace since the Siberian race back in January, so I could not
expect to hang with my regular group of runners. I was content to
experience the race from the middle of the pack, and after all, if I
drop comparison's with others, any place in the pack seems
fun and fast if I am trying hard. At the half mile mark I saw Audrey I., a top local master female runner, and I tucked
in behind and followed her pace. She had a nice stride going, and I
felt happy to be back racing the trails, smelling the warm foliage and
grasses, feeling the mud and moist earth moving beneath me. It was the
first time I had a chance to wear my cross country shoes in a race,
they felt light and fast, gripping the dirt and mud securely, the flat heel leaving little chance of an ankle twist. Audrey
and I passed a few people and I hung with her until mile 3. We were
running an 8:15-30 pace, but she started to slow on the short, steep
hills, so I moved past and struck out on my own. I passed some runners,
and then I heard puffing that was getting louder with each step. I
turned behind and saw Margaret B, another top local master runner,
gaining on me fast. I moved to the side of the narrow single track to
let her pass. When she did I made the observation that I was still in
long run mode, my breathing quiet and my heart rate moderate. Margaret
was straining, willing herself onwards. I knew I had to quickly decide
whether to follow Margaret, or let her go. Having Margaret come along
was like getting dealt AA in poker, when you are lucky enough to hold
those cards, folding is the last thing to do. I decided I needed to
gamble by increasing my pace, but I knew the final 3.5 miles were going
to be risky and difficult. I sucked it up and tucked in behind
Margaret, feeling my turnover increase, along with my heart rate. We
were pacing at 7:30-45, so this was now becoming my first speed run of the
season. I still felt good, my legs were fresh, and even though my
breathing was no longer serene, I felt I had a chance to hang with her
to the end. We passed a lot of runners, and even talked a bit.
She had never run the course, so every half mile she was asking me how
far we had left. She was not slowing down, but she was not speeding up
either, so I had a chance to make it to the finish without bailing. When we reached the 400m grass straightaway leading
to the finish, I found another gear and smoothly accelerated past
Margaret, and I passed 3 or 4 other runners as I coasted to the finish,
getting into the chute in 56:15. Two years ago I ran this course in
51:26, but I had practiced a lot of speed runs that year, so to run it 5 minutes
slower is to be expected with my current state of fitness. After
the race I met Joe P., and we talked for 15 minutes. When I got back to
my car I saw Ken W. and talked with him, then Margaret came along and
the 3 of us talked running. I refueled at my car and then readied
myself for the second adventure of the day, 2 more loops of the Mingo
course run at long run speed. It was going to be challenging because it
was 80 degrees and humid, and I had just expended a large amount of
energy in the race. The 2nd loop went smoothly, and I saw a
woman who had run the race doing the same thing as me, we smiled and
said hi as we passed (she was going in the opposite direction). When I
started the 3rd loop I was fatigued, hot, hungry, but I got into a
running zone at mile 2 and cruised slowly to the finish. A great workout today, it should help in getting me ready for the 50k in July at Devil's Lake.
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