Notes
Went for a trail race on the 4th installment of the TOPO trail run series! This time we were in Devou park running. The trail was great - it went up the hill all the way to the top on a series of switchbacks and then it went around the top a fair amount and then it came back down.
The actual running of the race went really well also! I went with Nate Goss, Kyle Kastrup, and met Josh Raycroft and his friends Megan and Allison there. We got there with 10 minutes to go and I had just stepped out of the bathroom when the gun people were lining up to start. When the gun went off I was still tying my tights up so I was actually about 15 seconds late in starting the race.
I found that the NB minimus were great on the trail and I was totally comfortable going off trail to pass people. This was necessary because I had to pass everyone in the race to get ahead. Within the first mile though I had placed myself in 4th - I was ahead of everybody else by about 200meters and I was behind what I thought was 1st and 2nd by 40 meters. I slowly reeled them in at about the 2.5 mile mark, well one of them. It turns out that the guy I reeled in was actually doing the 8 mile option. The other guy I never caught but I stayed within 50meters of him until the end. He was really strong on the downhills though so I am not sure whether I could have caught him even if I did not get a slow start. My friend Chris it turns out, actually got 1st by over a minute and the guy I was chasing was in 2nd. I felt like I had a lot in the tank (I might have been able to finish 1st in the 8mile option) but I am still really happy with my performance overall!!
If I keep doing well I may even be in the running for some prizes! woo!