What an
AWESOME day for a race! The weather could not have been any better. I think I heard that there was 466 participants. The course is a really good course. The only downside is that traffic on a couple of spots could have been controlled just a little better (Hobbs Street).
I really did not hear any word about we were ready to start. I heard a cow bell and everybody started running. The PA speakers were pointed off in the other directions and you couldn't hear a word being said from our position on the road.
I didn't want to take a position at the front of the line out of respect for those folks that can really run. There were quite a number of young boys that were up front.
So the bell rung and off we went. Those young boys that were up front, they took off FAST and they faded just as fast. After about the first 1/4 that were already dropping like flies. I had in mind 2 people to try to keep in my sites. I found them and staid on the heels of the one guy. When we were getting close to the first mile marker I noticed his breathing was really labored. I felt really good and really comfortable, even at the pace I was currently running. First mile, 6:47. Way too fast but again I felt really good.
Just before the first mile marker I started leaving behind the person I was wanting to shadow. I just felt strong and I thought I had it in me to keep the current pace. Going down Hobbs Street there is a slight downhill. I turned up the juice just a bit while I had that short downhill. That may not have been smart but I went for it anyways. Again, just after the turn onto Market Street there is a slight downhill. I turned it on again. There was a man counting out the positions right in front of the Dr.'s Plaza. That was something I hadn't encountered in any race. I was currently in 20th position. That was kind of neat to hear.
The second mile was right in front of the hospital, 6:54. That wasn't too bad of a drop from the first mile. I'll take a 7 second difference. This is where I started feeling the quick first mile pace. From the hospital to Houston Street there is a slight incline. It's a bit tougher than you would expect. We rounded the square and that is where I got passed for the first time (the guy that came in 3rd in my age group). I was starting to hurt but I knew there was a downhill before the last climb into the finish.
During that final climb I got passed by a lady that is older than me and a man that is older. Into the the last 1/10th I got passed by a couple more folks. I had no kick or maybe I didn't have the will to kick.
Anyways, officially
21:58, I had 21:56.90 (what's 1 second). My third mile was not so good. The last 1.1 was 8:14 (7:30 avg).
I just knew I had a chance for the top 3 in my age group. Eric was there so I knew that was one position. The
official age group results has me at 8th in the 31-40 age group. The neat part is that positions 3-8, in that age group, all finished between 21:48 and 21:58. If I could have worked up any kick things might have been entirely different for me.
I'm happy with 25th overall and I beat my previous PR by 1:09.
Overall Results
