I went to a race but wasn't racing so wasn't sure about posting a report!  Did this half at Ft. Bliss in El Paso 2 years ago and thought it would make a good tuneup race, so I chatted with Coach Neely about it a couple of times.  It's only $35 and she liked the idea of doing it to practice effort during a race but not 100%.  She said about 7/10 so that's what I did.  Forgot how long it takes to get across the base from the gate so barely made it on time! In fact, by the time I picked up my packet and got my bib and chip on, I started in last place. So of course I passed a lot of runners, even during the first 3 miles which was my warm up as Coach planned. If I passed 50, then I passed 100!  One of the things Coach & I had talked about was whether to run with music, and I decided not to, which she thought was smart because it can interfere with your natural rhythm.  She suggested podcasts if I needed something to listen to, so I tried a couple and that worked out great.  Of course, they were about running.  Didn't look at my watch until mile 3 and then out of curiosity on the warm up pace. Didn't look again and when I saw the finish clock, was surprised how slow I was!  2:09.

Afterwards while I was walking around, uploading to my phone, etc., there were still runners coming in. Saw a couple of friends from Las Cruces then and one is in my AG-he came in 2nd but was shaking his head because the guy who won our AG ran a 1:22!

I ran in a 10K today, which is noteworthy in that I am barely running these days due to bum knee. Dr's orders were "I see a lot of biking in your future", and "the only thing you're controlling is when I replace that knee, not if".  We negotiated and he muttered to cut way back on the mileage, and get the biggest clown shoes you can find.

So off a base of 3mile treadmill runs, with with a pair of Hoka One One clown shoes it was off the Robert Burns 10K. Race motto: "There is no such uncertainty as a Sure Thing".

This is great little race. Perfectly old school. No-fuss race day org (show up, follow the signs, get a bib, hang out in gym, wander out to parking lot), and low-key (start here, follow the signs, stay out of traffic, stop when you see the finish, pull your bib tag).

Before the start, there's a recital of Burns' "Afton Water" by a guy standing on a snowbank, and we're sent off into the great wide world with the advice to look for pink arrows and beware the re-frozen slush roads in mile 2-2.5. Couple tough climbs on the course @ 3-4mi and then 5.5-6mi, then downhill to finish.

Poem recital...Kilts were optional, but prevalent...RD facing camera..notice the start line was precisely located by that guy's left foot...

(Those folks in the blue Dirigo running club singlets are serious...these are 30-32 min 10K runners)

I settled into a pace which felt like it might work. Then decided it was probably a bit much for the legs, so backed it down and tried a new effort. Held that to the end. Starting picking off a few folks in miles 3-4-5, then settled in about 20 yards behind a guy as we starting up the last hill around mile 5.3.  But he faded back to me, so we ran side by side...now the real competition was ON.

No, not running...it was all about excuses. I made the first move...

me: (Huff, puff) my legs are fading, I haven't run longer than 4mi in nearly a month.

him: I've been longer...but I haven't been off a treadmill since 1st weekend in December

Ouch...I thought he had me there, because I have been outside for few runs, probably 50:50 treadmill.  Had to come back at him hard, time to surge...

me: (huff, puff, gasp, spit)  I hear ya on that, hard to get back into road form...I can't real climb hills with this knee.

him: can you believe how warm it is today, I'm way overdressed for 45....my last race was 1/2 mar in NJ, I'm just testing things for a 10miler next weekend.

Oh...he packed a lot into that one -- temp, testing legs, but teased in the 1/2 marathon shape being over 6 weeks ago. Uh oh.

Now I was just uncertain of my next move. I, too, was seeing if the 10miler next weekend was going to be possible, so I went for the haymaker...here it came...pre-emptive excuse making for next weekend's race...

me: yeah, I hear you on 10-miler. With how I feel today, I think I'm going to run-walk that one and aim marathon effort.

It's over. End of conversation. Ding, ding, ding.

With that we turned the sharp 50 yard uphill to mile 6 and I turned up the wick on him without saying, figuring he'd get back to me on the 1/4mi downhill to the finish since I can't run downhill fast -- you know, knee -- but we turned to home and it was me all the way.

Oh, the drama. The glory. For 53rd place in a 10K with 200 people. You had to be there.

I laughed too.  Good one on the clown shoes!  Snow piled up and you're running in shorts-that would never happen here in the desert SW.