Cool start but warmed nicely after the sun broke through. Was pretty satisfied with my race, 3 minutes faster than last year. 1:09:42 good enough for 110 out of 4424 and 3rd in ag.

Thanks for starting this, Mariposai.

Congrats, runr_nut on your improvement vs. last year and your AG hardware.

The MidWinter 10-mile Classic was in Cape Elizabeth, ME (just SE of Portland) at 9:45 this morning. 32° and winds in the 20s mph. It was tough to figure how to dress, but I went with tights, a 3/4 zip l/s shirt and a windbreaker vest. I took my lightweight mittens on and off a few times, depending on what the wind was doing along the big loop course. Milktruck got a late start, but blew past me in mile 1. I started near the back of the pack and even after the start mats, we walked (slower than I would have preferred) for a short bit. In mile 2, I caught up to my friend, Hank, who sometimes runs and sometimes racewalks. He runs faster than I walk, and I racewalk faster than he does, so it wasn't working for us to stay together. That was when I really started focusing on racing. There were a few points on the course where there were open fields, or where we crossed expanses of salt marsh - that is where the wind cranked up, and it almost brought me to a halt a few times. I met up with Stephanie (a runner from Portland) at about mile 4-5. She passed me on the downhills, I caught her on the uphills, so we had a few occasions to chat. She said we'd probably finish together, but the last 3 miles were almost all uphill, and I never saw her again once we started that climb. However, at that point, I was cooked (a lot more hills on the course than I have at home and the wind did me in), and it was mind over matter from there to the finish. I finished with an 11:00/mi pace, and was 13/16 in my AG, even with no walking div. I had a chance for a brief chat with Milktruck after I finished, but we were both ready to head out. I'm glad I did the race. And I was glad when it was over.

Jay

Mid-Winter Classic 10-mile is a big deal race in our area; always held 1st Sunday in Feb, it's long been part of folk's Boston training ramp up in these parts...MWC10, then Derry 16, then Eastern States 20. Not sure if that pattern still holds the same sway given how many more options runners have these days. Field limited to 1000 and it fills in minutes.

I went in knowing the last time I'd run 10mi was back in Sept, followed by Oct off, then mainly walking in Nov into Dec...so real rusty and not trained for the distance. Finding the right effort level was going to be hard. I planned to run/walk in some combo. I made a pact with myself that I'd stop and take the DNF rather than pushing through any sharp pain and risk a major setback.

Fashion report (planned)...it was low 30s, and cold, damp wind howling off the ocean...so zipper layers to deal with day getting warmer and headwind/tailwind. With spitting snow and frozen slush on roads, I was nervous about Hoka (aka clown) shoes because they are just terrible for traction...worst of any shoes I've owned other than leather sole penny loafers.

I left home without my running shoes. How does that happen?  I only realized this past the point-of-no-return-and-get-to-the-race-on-time...uggh. I considered the tattered and worn out shoes I was wearing, but there was no way knee would tolerate that pounding, so, sigh, pulled a u-ee and heading back to home.

Sprinted from parking into the high school to get my bib...ok, that takes care of warmup.  Headed out to start area just as the gun fired and the field was off. Now is the time to share  I have a dislike of 1 aspect of chip (net) timed races...which is they are hard to treat as a "race" in the sense that if I work to pass someone, they could be way ahead or way behind in the final, net timed, results. But...today would be different. today I thought chip timed and net time placement was just the best thing ever!

All that story, in 1 picture...end of field heading out...and then me back there...

Here's what I saw as I straggled out from the school...check the flag in the background for wind situation...

Course is a big loop, and has 4 distinct 'personalities'...miles start-3 are tough, choppy hills; miles 3-6 are rolling; then after passing the beautiful old Spurwink church and cemetery it joins the Beach To Beacon 10K course and is fairly flat through 8.5, then a quick downhill and long steady pull uphill back to the high school access road and downhill to finish.  This is not an even pace course, and even effort is hard in the first 3 mile section

So...after all the drama...I just started jogging. Caught up to Coastwalker as he was working up to his warp speed and chatted for moment. He asked about my knee and my reply was pretty negative...'cus it hurt. I knew the course went near where I parked at about 3/4mi, so I decided to run to that point before packing it in.

Then...it eased up...so I kept going. Paying little attention to pace on the watch, just trying to dial into 'comfortable, but work'. Pulled over at 4.5mi to adjust brace and shake out the leg a bit.  Then stepped back into the fray. This would be only stop, other than walking water stops.

Laid down a big time personal worst for this race...but did get some good miles in 7-8-9 and ended up negative splitting the second 5mi by a good chunk, probably more a reflection of the course and me just not fading rather much of a speed up. Overall, I'd label it a "John Deere" day...just chug'd along and got it done.

Was able to catch Coastwalker screaming down the finish section, he is so smooth and efficient, it's darn impressive to see in person. Chatted with him post race very briefly and I had to bug out and get warmed up.