Notes
Bix race today: 58 degrees starting temp, perfect conditions although there was a little wind coming back, but not bad at all. Goal was to run around 36 flat (based on where I thought I've been this summer) but also wanted to be the top Quad Citian so I knew I had to stay around Charlie during the race too. Got out quick (or so I thought), stayed patient on Brady and started moving past people who started fading halfway up the uphill. Got to the top and settled into my race pace. Ended up running most of the first part of the race battling Corey Towle (former stevens point guy). By the time we turned onto Kirkwood, things were strung out and there wasn't much movement the rest the race. Charlie had about 50 meters on me, and Tommy Ries (an Augie grad, who I didn't realize until after the race) passed me before the mile mark but there was no other passing the rest of the first 3.5. Came through the mile in 5:32- which was signifcantly slower than I wanted to be (and what I thought I was going to go) so I started to pick it up and hammer. Passed Corey on the downhill and came through the 2 in 10:14 (split 4:42 that mile) and kept rolling. We kept trading off leads and we did the same thing on the uphill and downhill once we got to McClellan. Came through the 3 together in 15:26 (5:11) and were slowly starting to make ground on Charlie and another random. At the halfway point, I was in 20th- felt alright, wasn't sure how I was gonna feel the rest the race but my breathing was fine so decided it was time to start moving. Fought Corey up the hill again and took off on the downhill, making a big move on him. Came through the 4 in 20:30 (5:03) and made up a ton of ground on Charlie. The 5th mile is all uphill- gradual and then a big 200 meter hill at the end, so normally its the slowest. I decided to go all in and try and catch/drop them so caught Charlie and this other dude half way through, picked it up, and really pushed the uphill to drop them. Came through the 5 mile mark in 25:42 (5:12 mile)- 13 seconds faster for the mile split then 2 years ago, and it put me on pace to PR because up until this point, I had been running a few seconds down. Spent the next mile trying to gap Charlie and just run away from everyone but I was feeling it a bit- caught the Ries dude and gapped him, hit the 6 mile in 30:52 (5:09) so I had slowed down a bit seeing as the whole mile was flat. Was feeling a bit gassed but knew if I could just make it to the downhill I'd be fine- hit Brady and started flying down it. Got to the bottom and turned the corner- saw an African a bit ahead and based on the crowd cheering, thought there was a pack behind me so I really opened up to make sure I didn't get passed. Just missed catching the African and finished (on my watch) in 35:34- an 8 second PR on the course and closed the last mile in 4:43 to get 16th overall and top Quad Citian.
Overall: super happy with the race, didn't feel the shin at all and ran much faster than I expected. Not only did I break 36, I PRD and was the top Quad Citian (put 25 seconds on Charlie the last 2 miles so that was awesome). Plus, our guys KILLED it. Mitch and Root ran 36:10 and 36:17. Thompsen ran out of his mind and ran 37:02 and Janet was 37:05- faster than kerley and perez ran 2 years ago. Everyone else ran in the low 37s and high 38s- which are still super fast. We had a great day, RAPED all the Calvin guys who showed up, and just in general, I was super happy with how well we ran and how well everyone seems to be maturing, both running wise and mentality wise. If this is any indication of how the season is going to be, its gonna be pretty epic