First thing I noticed (besides the fact that no one else thought the road kept tilting) was that there were a lot more people that looked and sounded fast than in the last two years that I've run this. The guys next to me were all shooting for high 17's, low 18's. So the hope for defending last year's win was pretty slim, especially with the "condition" I was in. The woman I ran with last year who has won the women's title the last few years was there and she was my mark since I knew that she was a consistent mid-18 runner.

Horn goes off and the X-Country kid who took off fast last year did the same thing with another guy not far off of him. I settle in quickly with another guy who looks strong and smooth (eventual winner of the race). About a 1/4 of a mile in I'm saying "I knew I shouldn't have drank last night." He laughed and then proceeded to pick up the pace and catch the second placed guy and then the kid. Basically the last we saw of him!

I hung with the guy that was in second and we dangled about 100 meters behind the young guy, but never caught him. Mile 1 was in 5:40, then after the mile and a half mark the road goes up until all the way around 2.5 with a gradual incline. Around 2 (11:47 total time, so slowed down some) Sherri catches us. Shades of last year where I was running with her and another guy before making my move at the last turn which then lead to the downhill last 1/2 mile to get to the arena finish. The difference was we were fighting it out for 3rd overall instead of the win.

I had nothing in me this year so once we made the turn I just strode it out and tried not to lose too much time to them. I had no desire to kick so we ended finishing with the guy in our group leading in, then Sherri, then me. Same time as last year, but different result.

Thank gawd that was over! Now I could find a place to sit down and make the world stop spinning!

Pretty easy answer here. Not drink and party until the wee hours of the morning the night before a race. And not have a chest cold hacking up lung cookies.

Stood in the arena talking to the winner and the 3rd place guy, sipped some water and tried to breathe without coughing up my lungs. The winner is signed up for Eagleman as his first 1/2 and we chatted about that. Walked to the car to get my warmer clothes and proceeded to cough so much I gacked up my Gu almost. Lovely .....


Uhh, glasses of Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio??? And this chest cold ..


3rd year I've done this race and it keeps growing. The field is not as strong as some of the other ones I do periodically (as can be seen by the fact I place so high in it), but I enjoy the course and it is for a good cause. I rate the race high, just not my performance today. Can't complain though, AG win and 5th overall ain't bad! Might have been able to PR if I hadn't been drunk last night. ;)

Edit: Final official results have me at an 18:31 and in 4th. But really Sherri beat me and should have been shown in 4th with me 5th.