Notes
Tough race. Hills go up and up, then down and down, then a few rolls at the last 1.5 miles. Min./Max.: 29.7 °F/31.9 °F; Humidity: 70.5%; Dew point: 21.5 °F; Wind Speed: 7.9 mph; Precipitation: 0.0mm/h
We had beautiful scenery and it was a wonderful race, but tough.
First the scenery: the race is through the Catoctin Mountains, past beautiful streams, waterfalls, ponds, on mostly quiet mountain roads, some just gravel but not slippery. There is a bit on slightly more traveled roads in the beginning and in the end, and the finish is on a grass field at Mount Saint Mary's University. It really was very picturesque.
The major uphill starts about mile 2 -- for 3 miles there's a 500 foot rise, then you lose that altitude quickly until about mile 8. My legs felt like jelly for the last 1.5 miles, and afterwards from the hills -- I think mostly from the downhills.
The wind was there, and sometimes in your face when going uphill, but frankly most of the time it wasn't a factor. My legs felt like jelly during the last 1.5 miles and afterwards from the hills -- I think mostly from the downhills though. At mile 5, just at the crest, some guy came screaming by me at 40 mph. I asked "what age group?" which he ignored and asked how I was doing (over his shoulder).
The downhills were fun but I was glad when they ended because I was starting to think I was going to fall.
That fast old guy, and one young woman I had passed earlier because she was having leg cramp problems, were the only ones who passed after mile 1.5. The young woman ran a 3:15 at Boston, I'd heard after the race, so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad.