With a 1PM start, I was able to laze about the house for a while before making the drive over to Delavan. Fueled up before I took off with some grape nuts, a banana, and coffee. On the drive over, ate a Power Bar, another banana, and drank plenty of Gatorade. Made it to Delavan with relative ease, signed in, attached my chip, and relaxed for while. The field was relatively small with only 128 runners.
A short bus ride took us to the start line. It was a cold 42 degrees and there was a bustling 14mph wind coming out of the north. The course was basically two, six mile loops around the country, with a mile back to the school where we loaded the bus. The whistle blew at exactly 1:00PM and we were off.
M1- 7:28 man, it's windy, just hold a 7:15 pace and stick with it, talked to the barefoot guy for a bit, threw my long sleeve shirt and I
was left with my Brooks singlet, and shorts, gloves, and headband
M2- 7:16 is this long hill ever going to end? holding my own passing people on the uphill
M3- 6:46 made the turn the 14mph wind at my back and pace shows it, passed a couple more guys, count em up, 14th place
M4- 7:00 make the second turn and large group of about 10 guys pass, that takes me down to 24th place, oh well, just keep that 7:15
average pace, they'll probably die out
M5- 7:12 that long hill on mile 2 is paying off because this back part is all gradual downhill, woo hoo.
M6- 7:27 make a turn and face right into that north wind, ouch. Gatorade, thanks volunteers
M7- 7:22 pass about 8 of the guys that passed me, they can't handle that wind
M8- 7:19 back up the long hill, catch up with a couple of guys
M9- 6:48 wind to my back again, feeling it, repeating mantra, "solid core, thumbs to navel"
M10-7:06 down hill again. Gatorade, thanks volunteers, two guys appoach and pass, that's ok, just hold this 7:11average pace
M11-7:09 pretty much alone, feeling it, but ok
M12-7:25 one sip of Gatorade, thanks volunteers, took off gloves and headband
M13-7:03 one last uphill, and through a neighborhood, top guys were on their recovery jogs and giving me some "good jobs"
.1 -6:02 one quick turn into the school parking lot, over the timing mat, and DONE.
Talked with the guys who passed me and some of the guys who I passed, gave some high fives and went to change into some warm clothes. Checked the boards to see that I was going to get an AG award, so I stayed and grabbed that and headed home. Great run. Looking forward to doing it again.
RESULTS: 1:33:58 / 7:11Pace / 17th place / 3rd Age Group
click here for overall results
