Notes
Good day to run. Great competition here in the tri-state area. A lot of Kehamm type runners in my age group and older. Cool enough not to overheat and warm enough not to have to wear much more than a hat and gloves with t-shirt and shorts.
Pace was strong throughout, but did notice some 7:40s on the hills at times. Tough, steep hills. Makes you realize why Walhert wins X-country championships. Only 1 way to get back to the school... uphill=GREAT workouts. You start 1/2 way down the final hill, so you only go down 2.5 of the 3 big hills. Everyone is at a 5:45 or better on the way down just trying not to fall. Up the 1st big hill and I pass about 10 or so. Back on level ground I level out at about 6:20-6:30 pace. After mile 1 there is a downhill just before a big long hill. I see 6:12 again, some long legged cross country runners pass me and 1 older man (50s I'm guessing). I'm sitting about 25 or 30th (started the 7.5 mile race at the same time, so hard to tell). Approaching the big hill I pass back the older man and set my sights on the only girl I know ahead of me. Young, long strides, but I can't quite catch her. Top of the long hill we have now about .5 to go and a short down hill then the steep hill to finish...holding off the old guy easy enough, but a young tall kid passes all of us like we're standing still. Glance at my watch and see 15...thinking "can I break 16?!" The hill is just too much, can't quite get a strong kick until the top and by then there is only about 300 yards left and I get close, but no dice...16:06. 6:27 pace makes me think I'm getting closer. Felt very good after the race.
3rd of 86 in my age group. A 14:00 for 2nd and 13:47 I think was 1st place. I was far behind...no turkey for me, but a good way to start out the Thanksgiving weekend.
NOTE: I did a little research and the winner was an elite marathon runner John Mirth of Platteville, Wisconsin who won the master's division of the 2008 Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, MN(24th overall in that race). He wasn't hard to find. He finished in 13:23. The 2nd place guy, Scott Smith could actually be a made up name. I couldn't find his name anywhere or at least not in that time range, unless he was entered into the wrong division.
Note: my fastest pace according to the watch was a 4:26. That was on the first mile, no doubt at the start. Makes me think if I had started a little easier...maybe under 16. My original goal was under 17.