Notes
So... the big race. Wind was a pretty constant 10mph and all of the long straights were into the wind. The wind helped on the short ones. I was hoping for 22 minutes, but was discouraged by the wind.
There were no mile markers. Even half way was pretty nebulous. So I didn't even wear my watch.
We started and I was instantly like in 8th or 10th, as several kids were pretty aggressive at the start. Did the first lap around the track and felt pretty good, but maybe just a touch fast. Worked on settling into a pace.
Over the first mile I passed a few people and found myself in 3rd. The guy in second had passed me. On the long straight into the wind, I think there were a couple people drafting off of me, but I slowly pulled away from them out of the wind.
After the mile marker, It was pretty clear that the best I was gonna get was 3rd. I never looked back, but judging from cheering and stuff I could tell there was some gap.
Came around the track after the first loop, and was feeling decent. I was breathing fairly hard but felt somewhat under control. As I left the track the 2nd time, the clock was just under 11 so I thought I had a chance to make 22.
Second loop was fine. Going into the wind the second time I had to back off a hair, and at the end it felt like I had climbed a hill... My quads were starting to burn. About here I was starting to lap the walkers who were on their first lap. That probably helped mentally just a bit. At about a half mile to go, a teenager (who I later found out was in 7th grade) passed me looking like he was complete fresh and had just started 30 seconds ago. I didn't even try to challenge him.
Got to the track the second time, and the kid just stopped. I guess he didn't understand that he still had to go around the track one more time. He chatted with one of the course people for a bit, and I passed him up. He got his bearings straight and came back around me. With 200 to go, he was maybe 10 or 12 feet ahead, but not pulling ahead.
Last 100 meters I started to push it home, and he didn't seem to be accellerating. So I figured I'd try to beat him. I passed him with like 20 meters to go and got him by about 5 feet total.
Ended up 3rd overall.
Then in the finishing chute, the defibulator in my pace maker hit me. 10 seconds or so later it hit me again. I gave my tag to the person in line and it hit me a third time. I laid down on the grass hoping my heart would slow down enough for my pace maker to leave me alone.
The nurse at the run (who is also my wife) called to see what should be done, and they decided to send out an ambulance. After a couple minutes I had recovered ok, so I grabbed a water and started walking out to meet them. Jogged a bit to catch them before they got tangled up in the course a bit and got in the way of the rest of the walkers, and told them I was the guy they were looking for.
They put me in the ambulance, checked my EKG just to be sure. I was all normal, heart rate was down around 75 I think. Explained the story to them. They felt like things were ok, and recommended I get checked at the hospital.
My wife called the on call doc, and after a chat they agreed to just wait until the regular doc hours on Tuesday and have me go in and get checked. See how things look.
Good Race overall... happy with my time. Need to look at adjusting the old pace maker I hope.
Because of all the mess with the ambulance and stuff, I missed jogging a cool down.