My goal for today was first and foremost to beat last year's time in the same race (20:36) in which I got 10th overall and 2nd in M30-39. So I started right at the front of the bunch and tried to mark the fasties. I did notice that the winning lady from last year (last year she was 1st female and 4th overall) was there and thought there were a bunch of other fasties in the group including this younger X-country kid. So it should be a hard fought race. Oh well, I still could go for beating last year's time at least.

At the horn, we were off. I had told Tarek to run his own race and not blow-up trying to keep up with me, but he still started on the front row with me .... oh well, his choice! Immediately the young kid was gone and up the road with another guy on his tail. Since I started in the front row I was right on that guy. I decided to play it easy and just shadow him for the first mile and see if he would be able to catch the young guy.

This was how it stayed for the first 1/2 mile or so, with me shadowing the guy and the youngin' off the front about 50 feet or so. At the 3/4 mark or so I glanced back and saw briefly that there were people coming up. So I said "pack coming" to the guy in front of me. But he was slowing so I took the opportunity to push ahead and get onto the young kid's tail. There were two people in the pack that came up, a younger guy and the fast woman. We hit the first mile marker at 5:44, a little quick but I really felt in control and not like I was pushing.

Not long after the mile mark we dropped the youngin' and it was just the three of us with a little gap. I sat back and let them keep the pace with the two side by side and me right behind. There were times that I thought we might be going too easy and that the others would be catching us. But I said to be conservative and follow anyone that passed us. When we hit the 2 mile mark at 12:00 or so even I knew we had slowed a bit. The next 1/2 or so is uphill.

The college girl was sounding a little winded and the other guy didn't seem willing to pick up the pace. I glanced back and saw that we had a good 100 yards easily on the next person and knew it would be between the three of us. At this point I started to acclerate around the other guy but then said, "what the hell, just go easy and see what happens at the end." So I backed off and got back in behind them.

I knew that the last 1/2 or so was downhill back to the arena so I thought if there was a move to be made, it was there. As we made the turn I said, "Ladies and Gentleman, it's gonna be one of us, we've got a gap. Who's gonna make their play?" At that point I mentally said - ME. I accelerated around the lady and put in a push to see if the guy could hang. After about 200 yards I glanced back and saw I had a gap. I kept the pace hard and cruised down the slight downhill. At the entrance to the arena I glanced back again to see if I'd have to sprint and knew right then and there that it was mine!!

Into the arena and accross the turf hooting and hollering with a few fist pumps and I win my first ever running race!!! And beat my short term goal time of breaking 19 minutes handily!! I was totally psyched!!

Nothing. Pretty much ran a perfect race. I could have gone faster if needed but after realizing it was just the three of us there was no reason to risk blowing up to go faster.

Sat on the bleachers and had a banana and a bottle of water.


Race strategy. ;-P


Other than the crappy weather it was a great race. I did it last year and it was just as organized and well run. I definitely recommend this race series (the Arthritis Foundation does all the Jingle Bell Runs).