Notes
They changed the race this year. Went big leagues. Switched from a 6K to a 4 mile race. A much better distance. And then totally changed the course and we went around the lake the other way. THey even had a mini expo inside before the race - about 6 booths but looked pretty cool. Before the race one of the guys from the Colorado 5K that i knew asked me how i was doing, making small chat. He then askes about what I plan on running, then says that he'll catch me AGAIN in the last mile. I don't remember the exact language but something to the fact that he beat me like in Colorado 5K (when I dropped out). For a guy who barely broke 17 min in the 5K I got a bit pissed off. Then before the start I see a small Mexican guy who comes over and starts talking to me. He looks like a runner. He says he just moved to Estes from Miami 10 days ago. He is running Chicago marathon and training about 100 mpw and ran 2:29 in Dallas. I think Fuck - looks like I got second. now it is about 2 minutes before the start of the race. Then I think first - maybe he's lying. No reason to give up just yet, then I remember BS is a 2:31 marathoner I can sure as hell beat him in a 4 miler. I figured regardless, time to give it my all. We take off - me and the Mexican guy. The weather has never been better at Estes. 60 degrees at the most and not a speck of wind and a flat course minus 1 hill. The first hill has a gradual down hill and we run side by side. We hit the 1 mile at 4:50 (not what I was expecting). Then it goes uphill - I see him check behind him for 3rd place so I then drop the hammer on the uphill and gap him. I hammer through the top of the hill and down the other side. I hit 2 miles at 10:03 about 10 seconds up. (I still have never broke 10 min for 2 miles in my life). At this point I'm all in and just trying to hold on till the finish line. I think about my stride and just putting ground behind me. I hit 3 miles at 15:23 but second is still 10 seconds back. I then started thinking about being on a track and laps. About 400 meters from the finish a guy in the crowd says 2nd place is coming up on you. So I put my old man shuffle sprint into effect and hold him off. I was completly cashed when I came across the line. I ended up winning by like 8 seconds and PR'd. I think I ran 21:22 at Steamboat 4 miler in 1999. Everything clicked today - felt like I was in shape, got pissed off, raced the whole race. Post race - I was missing BS. It would have been a perfect BS and Mark drinking day. Instead, I went into RMNP and put a sixer of beer in the river and sat on a camp chair and read a book and drank. If Jesus didn't want me to drink he wouldn't have made a cooler at 40 degrees (river) and a beer opener (any sharp rock) right next to each other. Today was one of those days.