Confilicted About My Race -- Always another day

Conflicted about my race results is the reason for my delay to post. Prior to the race start, Karen and I were speaking with the Councilman who inquired about my race goal. Although I explained I wanted to break "fifty", deep in my heart, I wanted to be within the 47 minute range as I thought I had prepared myself adequately for the pace and devised a plan to do so -- keep Bruce, a very strong runner, within eye-shot. Bruce was going to be my pace runner. Also, having raced on the course last year, I was well-aware of the steep hills within the first two miles that burns your lungs and requires most to walk; however, I was well-trained, have a third lung and with some exerted effort managed to crest the hill and gather myself before the next incline. I was ready.

The Mountain School 10k is the first race in a series of five races of 4th Annual Blue Cross Blue Shield Flagstaff Summer Running Series. With my goal in mind and trained all winter, I was ready. Approaching the starting line, I knew my place -- behind the elite, competitive runners -- guys and gals in their twenties and early thirties who are lean, ripped and look like gazelles. What I didn't anticipate was the number the school age children running the 5k section who were dispersed among the elite, competitive runners and the mid-pack runners.

The infamous Greg McMillian was the honoree starter who quickly gave the "Ready, Go!" subdued shout through the megaphone. A quarter mile or so on the road thinned the crowd from the rabbits and I hoped to be behind Bruce but he was already on the single-track, forested trail with about twenty to thirty second lead. Catching him would be difficult due to limited passing opportunities and some inexperienced runners on the course. Nonetheless, having a "home court" advantage, I knew where the trail widened for passing opportunities as well as where others would tire.

Sure enough, I caught-up to him running with another guy and chatting away. No sign of struggle or effort. Typically, running on a trail there is no one in front of me so I can anticipate my foot placement and avoid rocks and pick the best line. However, a single, track trail running race is different in that you rely upon the runner in front of you to pick the best line and you concentrate on where he/she steps and assume they are experienced trail runners. The problem I faced: a six foot four or five guy was running ahead of me with a much larger stride so I couldn't match his foot placement. I had only a split second to react to the terrain as the trail revealed itself after his stride. However, I was in good company, because the guy in front of me was the man I beat for the tenth position in the racing series which enabled me to win a pair of Salomon trail running shoes.

Shortly after the first hill, Bruce shifted gears and was gone. I decided to hold back because there wasn't a passing opportunity and the second hill usually leaves one's lungs burning -- probably my mistake. The long legged runner in front of me slowed down on the hill when I should have sucked it up and passed. Bruce was long gone and out of eye-shot distance. My race plan blown.

Nonetheless, I eventually passed the long legged runner around the three and three-quarters mark. I was alone on the trail until I spotted a runner in front of me. He was my new goal. Eventually, I closed the distance on him. Sure enough, around the fifth mile, I spotted Bruce who was well-ahead but the "eye-shot" distance encouraged me. Turning the final corner, I looked with anticipation towards the race clock which, immediately, washed a look of disappointment over my face with a clock time of 50:42. Digging down, I managed a 50:48, not my 47 minute goal but better than last year's time by a minute twenty. Bruce finished eight places ahead of me with a time of 48:06.
So, in a sense, I improved but not to the level I desired.

In two weeks, I have another race where coincidentally I also finished with a time of 50:48 but this course is much harder -- significant elevation change for the first mile plus. My race plan will be the same but this time, I will push myself to feel all three lungs burn. Once again, I do have a small, extra lung. Doesn't seem to help though with running!

Meanwhile, as the picture shows, the wife was ecstatic about her finish as she exchanged leads with another runner up until the finish. They both crossed the Finish line at the same time then high-five each other. I later learned they were racing each other throughout the entire course which lead to their jubilation and accomplishment -- nothing like testing oneself against someone else!

The wife finished third in her age division whereas I finished seventh in my age category. This is a big fish in small pond type of race though -- sounds good.