Notes
Temp 52 Wind 5 mph.
Not much to say. Ran the race of my life. Find out at the awards ceremony a race official was suppose to have tore off my tag when I crossed the finish line. They missed me. RD said come talk to us afterwards and we'll see what we can do. Brought up Garmin and pictures of me crossing the line with clock in picture WITH EXACT GARMIN TIME. RD didn't want to talk about it. Time keeper became defensive, and questioned authenticy of evidence. Then said I should have run to left of this cone instead of right. That's a DQ. No race instructions, no on-course assistance. Said he been timing 20 years and everyone should know what side of the cone to run on. I'd stopped at line, looked around for someone to hand me a stick or something. Figured like last race some one was writing down bib # and time.
They didn't have to change their "official results" for me, I knew what time I ran. Would have been happy if they just gave me one of the half dozen or so leftover AG awards I'd earned. Del gave back his 2nd OA award. Told them he ran to the right also, so he must have cheated too. Worse thing was insinuation I was trying to pull something.
Gonna go run tonight. Will run tomorrow. This is twice out of last three races something screwy has happen. I'm really sour on racing right now. This one hurts 10x worse than what happen in Morley.
Positives. 1st 15K, so a PR. I ran a 10 mile race on 7/18/09. My mile pace was 7:16. Today, about 120 days later, my mile pace was 6:41 (actually 6:39 because all three of us had the course long by at least .03). That's 35-37 seconds per mile improvement in just 120 days. At age 48. Cannot really comprehend that right now.
Splitmaster Team was awesome. Del 2nd OA in 15K. Hammer 3rd OA in 15K. A-Wad 2nd OA in 10K.
Race Summary:
Mile 1 (6:20) - Pacing off Gary H. because I think he's going to run 6:30-6:37. Heard him tell runner next to him "too fast". No s$%#.
Mile 2 (6:46) - Mis-read Garmin during race, thought it said 6:16. Decided to let Gary H. go. Actual time closer to what it should have been, maybe even little slower.
Mile 3 (6:36) - Feel very comfortable. Pretty doggone close to running a 20-minute 5K for the first loop. Have almost a minute in the bucket for my 63:00.
Mile 4, 5, and 6 (6:41 / 6:53 / 6:36) - All comfortable. Eventual 5th OA passes me in mile 4. Close some on Gary H.
Mile 7 (6:34) - Come back to pass Gary H. (Teach you to take me out too fast.). Want to open some, so bear down. Wind has pick up some and running into it.
Mile 8 (6:57) - Bam!! Pay for the surge. Wind beating on me. Takes all I have to hold it together.
Mile 9 (6:33) - See the last mile split. Decide that I refuse to be denied my 63:00. Probably the best mile I have ever run in any race at any distance.
Last 0.36 (2:17) - A 6:17 pace. Little bit of a kick. Guess race official thought I had another lap to go. Guess that's why I've stopped, turned off my watch, and am looking around for someone to hand me a stick? Guess all 1:30:00 15Kers start their third 5K loop running a low 6 m/m pace too??
62:16. Would have been happy with anything in 63s. Now, just wish I felt happy.
ALMOST FORGOT HIGH-LITE OF THE DAY: Talking to A-Wad before race. Elderly gentleman, maybe in his 60s or 70s comes up. Ask "Mr. Waddle, do you mind if my grandson takes a picture of you?" A-Wad is former 10K national champion and actually still has the 15K course recond at this race. Still, you gotta know him, but let's just say he's not used to this kind of attention. Freaked him out. The look on his face was priceless. Good thing I was there to tell the man and the kid "sure".