Race had it's ups and downs (Ha! that's like a joke)
Really the course had NO ups and downs. It was one giant, flat, 10K rectangle (well pretty much, a few little side cuts, but not much)
This is the first year the race is back after a multi-year hiatus. I was not thrilled with the race management. Had conflicting information before the race as to where to line up, a horrible PA system at the start, a late start, only 2 water stations over a 10K course (I don't stop for water on a 10K, but lots of people do, and one at mile 2 and another at mile 5 is kind of weak), course volunteers who just stood there (no cheering, no calling out paces, nada), and amazingly long waits to post times (I hung around for 45 minutes after I finished, and still nothing was posted - and nothing is on line yet either). However, registration and waiting was in a high school gym - YES, semi warm and with real bathrooms - gotta love that.
Anyway, I think I had the most fun finishing a race with this one. It was a stadium finish. I found a pace group pretty quickly, and by the 2 mile point had settled in. I think between miles 2 and 5 one person passed me and I passed 2 other people. At mile 5 I start my finish push (
push for me, faster crawl for people like Joel) and I think I passed 4 people in the last mile. The one girl who had been maybe 50 yards behind me did the same. I could hear her just off my left shoulder for mile 5 to 5.9 creeping up on me, and hanging with me - there was nobody close in front of me. She kicked it into gear entering the complex, and was out on the track ahead of me and pulling away. I was like "oh well, good for her" then all of a sudden she is walking - she burned too fast. I moved it into whatever gear I had left, but she saw me coming, and started running again. She finished about 5-10 seconds ahead of me I think. That was a load of fun to finish like that.
Unofficial time 1:02:59
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/75367821
Phidippides challenge now stands at 9 points (12 for Bronze, 16 Silver, 20 Gold)
Walt Disney World Marathon Orlando, FL 4 26.2 M
Cupid's Chase 5K Glen Rock, NJ 1 5 K
CJRCC Hangover 5K Westfield, NJ 1 5 K
Morristwon St. Pat's 5K Morristown, NJ 1 5 K
Applechase 5K / 10K Pomton Plains NJ 2 10 K
-dave
Hope you are feeling better. If you have been absent for a bit, welcome back. If you havent, I need to pay more attention.
