Notes
This is a race where you predict your time. You can “win” this race by grossly overestimating how long it will take to run the 10K. Since we stagger the start times from the slowest predicted time to the fastest, usually the person with the largest positive difference between the predicted time and the actual time (lying) wins the race. Theoretically, if everyone told the absolute truth about how fast they planned to run the race, everyone would cross the finish line together, but that never happens.
There were 28 runners that participated. The course is an out and back and a bit hilly. I always try to predict my time accurately since I don’t want to win the atrocious trophy. It's some sort of tall clock thing and the winners have to add something to it. This year I predicted to run it in 41:15 but really had no idea if I could run it that time. Temp was 77F and humid and I was feeling decent, but after last week's disappointing 5K time I wasn't sure how I would run. Dan S., Phil, and MaryAnne predicted 43:00. I sort of liked the idea of being behind them and trying to pace myself by seeing them ahead and they actually started right ahead of me based on the staggered start. There were 3 people that started behind me. Dan L. started 45 seconds behind me, but I guessed he would pass me since I thought he would run a little faster than he predicted (40:30).
We can't wear watches during this race so I have no idea of pace, but I felt like I was starting out pretty fast. I could see Dan, Phil, and Maryanne cresting the first hill ahead shortly after I started. I was slowly gaining on them and Dan L. was gaining on me. At the turn around which is approximately 3 miles, I caught the 3, and Dan L. passed all of us. I kept my pace and then Phil sped up and we were passing back and forth with Dan L. Dan S. and MaryAnne stayed together behind us. At one point I had a surge and sped ahead and up the next hill Phil caught up to me. The rest of the way I stayed right behind Phil and Dan L. In about the last half mile Dan L. increased his lead on us and Phil a little on me. At the last 0.2 mi we had to run 2 times around the long driveway around the school. On the second loop I passed a bunch of people.
My sandbagging placement was 9th of 28 runners and my actual placement based on my time of 40:45 (a 9 second course record for me) was 4th of 28. I guess I was sandbagging just a little when I predicted my time since ended up passing 16 runners and was 30 seconds faster than my predicted.
This was a good "race" and I don't feel I quite went all out other than I probably started a little fast. It would have been nice to know my split at the half, but not wearing a watch kept it more interesting.