Hung out with my firend Kevin, Matt, Joan, Sue, both of whom were two of the three woman on our team Master Blasters, and local pro and fellow Zooter Angi Axmann. As the 8:00am start time approached we headed over to the line. The weather was perfect, a little cool but would warm up quicklu and what looked like a tail wind for the run back into town. I lined up just behind the fastest guy on our team, Ricardo, and just behind the elite division.

The first half mile is uphill out of the parking lot to the main park road. It's not steep but gives your legs and lungs a quick and abrupt start to your morning. I just tried to get my legs mving and build up my effort to a target HR of around 165 or so. As we made the turn onto the main road and began about 3 miles of descending, I took quick stock of how I was feeling. The answer was..ok. My HR was at 162 but it felt more like 168, so I knew that was how the fatigue in my legs would manifest itself today, no big suprise. So that would be the new target goal, hold on to 162..and apparently hold on to Angi as she ran up onto my shoulder around mile 1.5! Not only is she a great short course pro, coaches with my coach, but I refereed her to ZOOT this winter and they added her to the Ultra Team. But if she beats me I will NEVER hear the end of it!

By mile 2 I was able to move ahead of her and began to focus on the 5K mark I could see out at the park entrance. I crossed through in 18:02. Last year I came through in 17:41, so I was about 20 seconds off that pace. Not too bad as last year my run fitness in general was much better at this time and I hadn't ridden so long the day before. I exited the park and turned right on McDowell Mountain Rd. which is a stretch of road I am very familiar with as I bike and run out here all the time.

I was doing the best to run well in regards to form and effort, but it was a bit of a challenge to really get comfortable for the middle 5K of rolling small hills. My HR was hanging in at 162 but even on the short climbs it wasn't budging. I was ovetaken by at least 2 elite women, man can they pace a race propelry, and one tall, younger guy as I neared 10K. They had 4 aid stations on the course but I never stopped for anything. Crossed the 10K timing mat in 36:29 vs. 35:57 previous, so still pretty consistent, now about 30 seconds behind. But the next 5K were the toughest on the course with a 3/4 of a mile climb back into town.

Last year the hill before the middle school was a spot I passed one or two people but this year I was more isolated looking up the road so I just put my head down and got it done. Little did i know I had a shadow not too far behind me trying to close the gap! I came down onto Fountain Hills Blvd. and saw my Mom on traffic duty at an intersection. As i ran passed i asked her if anyone was behind me. She said no, the next runner was at least a block away. So I kept at it and made the final turn on to Saguaro Blvd. and the final mile and a half. Jamie was here also on traffic duty and she gave me some love as I went by wanting this race to be over. Not too soon after I went by her, I could have sworn I heard her yelling to someone. Uh, who could she be cheering on? I still had to get up the little hill by the traffic light at Grande and decided once up and within a 1;/2 mile, i would look back. Holy crap, it's Angi! I literally did a double take. She was hammering and maybe 30 seconds behind me. Shit, I got to go NOW. So instead of a leaisurely finish of high fiving and waving to the crowd I had to kill myself to keep the charging Teutonic Terror (she's from Germany) from catching me! I crossed the line a scant 17 seconds ahead of her. I jogged back out and turned and ran across the line with her so we could have a nice picture to send to ZOOT. :) 56:04, exactly 1:09 off last years time.

I suppose not ride 118 miles the day before but that's the breaks when training for an Ironman.

Once across for the second time, I found Ricardo and he was happy I was in with a good time for our team effort. He had finished 3min ahead of me so now we had to just wait for our first female finisher who came in just under an hour. That sealed the deal for our win and I know have a case and a half of Kilt Lifter Ale in my fridge...well less a six pack after Matt and Joan came pover later in the afternoon to celebrate. :)


This is a terrific race and should be on everyones race schedule here in the Valley.