WOW -- this was an AWESOME day!!! This race is sponsored by my running club (MN RED), so I changed my plans to run this instead of the planned 5k yesterday -- I am glad I did. Weather was much better today than yesterday. Less wind, a bit more sun. I like it! Did my usual 2 mile shakeout run 3 hours before race time and then CamScam and I made the 1/2 hour drive to the start. Got there, got checked in and headed out for a 1.5 mile warm-up (CamScam limited his to 1 mile). Got back, hit the biffies one more time, put on the flats and headed to the start. This is a BIG race in terms of participants. I think I heard that there were over 5,000 runners/walkers. I think the majority was in the later category, but it was an awesome turnout. Brian and I got right on the front line and took inventory. Umm Hmmm, looks like a few stallions. We interrupt this race report for more important information -- CamScam's race!!! He was coming into this race with a goal of going sub 21 for the first time. I told him to run 6:45s for the first 2 miles and see what he could do after that. Great strategy, right??? So, he lined up probably 5 rows back from me and Coach Ron was going to run with him. CamScam had my Garmin on to help pace (yes, I ran blind -- more on that later). Can't give you much race details for CamScam other than the Garmin splits: 6:43, 6:59, 6:47, 27? Not sure about that last one, but the official time for him was 20:56! Coach said he ran so smoothly the whole race and that he was really proud of him. NOT AS PROUD AS I AM!!! Afterwards, he said he is going sub-20 at the Grandma's 5k in June. I don't doubt it. Now, back to the old man. So, they say the G word and we are off! Three runners bolt out fast (even faster than Brian -- hard to believe) and I am running in 4th. At around the half mile mark, I am feeling lousy. About to grunt to Brian and let him know I am dialing it back. Then I decide to just run hard as long as I can. At this point, Brian has a step on me, and the others are starting to come back. It's windy here and Brian and I are trying to draft off others as much as possible. Not good for me -- I don't draft well!!! Because of my short stride/high cadence compensation, it is very difficult for me to tuck in. I usually end up clipping someone's heel. Check -- lightly grazed the runner in front of me. Oh well, better pass him. At 0.75 miles I am in 2nd with Brian a 1/2 step behind me and pulling even. 1st place is obviously going to have problems staying there -- he is running wide and taking the long way around the small curves. I am running the straightest line I can. Hard left and a slight uphill to mile 1. Brian is about a second ahead of me as we cross. I look down at the watch and see 5:15. Uh Oh!!! That is my 3rd fastest mile of all time and I have 2.107 miles to go. A runner who beat me a few weeks ago in a 4 miler is on my shoulder. He says, is that time right? I say yep, he lets out a four letter word that contains "hit" in it and drops back a bit. I guess it's just Brian and me now. He is running really well and has the advantage of an extra month of real training on me. No matter, I am going to keep up with him as long as possible because he has a tendency to back off a bit around the 2 mile mark. During mile 2, he opens several gaps and I cover them. As we hit the mile mark (5:28) we are neck and neck. I grunt something to the effect of stay on it and pull slightly ahead. He is right there with me and we continue to push each other. We are working really well together and keeping each other from backing off. As we get to about a 1/2 mile to go, I tell Brian to go for it (he was an 800 runner in college). He opens up a gap and I try to cover as much as possible. Looks like this time I won't close the gap. Now we are heading back to the start with only the police escort in front of us -- no that's not true! We are heading back to the start and have about 1,000 walkers filling the road and heading right at us! The police starts hitting the siren, they don't move. Finally, one of our team members (who is volunteering) starts running up the course telling everyone to clear a path. I close to within a few yards of Brian, but that's as close as I get. He pulls away to beat me by 8 seconds. Afterwards, he tells me that if I would have been even or ahead of him, I would have had him. ARGH! I covered the last 1.107 in 6:01 -- 5:26 pace. Bottom-line, Brian finished 1st, I finished second and we both accomplished a MAJOR goal that we have been working on for quite a while -- sub 17. Brian's time -- 16:37 -- A 52 second PR! I told him that PR was soft. Hermosaboy -- 16:45 -- a 29 second PR. Hung around for the awards and got some pictures with an Olympian. CamScam got robbed in the awards AGAIN since it was M1-19 -- He was 8th in the AG and 36th overall. Here are some pictures for visual reference. CamScam and Ron heading home: Brian Pulling Away at the finish: Are we there yet? 1st Place Overall -- Award presented by Katie McGregor: 2nd Place Overall -- Award presented by Katie McGregor: Wake up! Thanks for reading... ETA -- I did my best to make the pictures look good -- sorry, it's hard converting thumbnails to useable pics.

great run I am only at 2 miles when you guys finish. nice race and real nice report keep in touch how cam does the rest of the season.

Congrats Hermosaboy and son. Nice racing. It's races like that which cause me to train and dream. Keep it up!

Won't be long before the son is pushing the dad I suspect Great race for both of you .

(Sorry - doubleclicked.)

I like that sly grin you are wearing in the pic with Katie....almost suspicious looking

We were laughing about the fact that my 2nd place prize was missing and they are going to send it to me... Thanks all for your kind words!

WOW! Not only are you FAST! Camscam just keeps getting faster as well. I don't even run that fast in my dreams!

Congrats on yet another fine race and for passing on the gene. That little squirt in the picture ran 16:37? Very, very impressive!