Points Whore Nabs 2nd When Fat Lady Sings
Sunday, I an 8K road race - and a bit of a weird one - Run for the Valkyries, a fundraiser for a local opera club. They start the race when the fat lady hits a high note. I'm not kidding.
http://www.newsminer.com/photos/2009/aug/24/10751
Unlike earlier versions of this August 8K (prior to about 2006 or 2007) this race is not all that well organized - course is dubiously marked with maybe 3-5 course marshals on hand, and it's way too expensive ($25) for a local race. Entries have fallen off the charts, from more than 300 just a few years ago to about 100 this time, even though it was a beautiful day, partly cloudy with no wind and about 60 degrees.
The only reason I entered was to get some points for the local Flint Hills Series, which for reasons I don't quite understand, has also dropped off in participation and competitiveness in recent years. Maybe because the same yahoos keep walking off with the vests...but that's another issue.
Just before lining up I looked around and none of the usual suspects were there---could it be, could this be my day to take a local Flint Hills race? Not so fast!
Standing right next to me was Devin McDowell, 2004 state 3200 m champion and Midnight Sun Run winner, back for a short visit before his last semester at college. I hadn't seen Devin in a few years so it was good to catch up.
Our initial pace was moderate and we actually were talking a bit, and it looked like a couple of ringers would be in the mix, including a tall lean guy wearing a Wazoo (Washington State U) shirt who took it out hard for a half mile, "Huh?" Devin asked, as I dropped back so not to go into early oxygen debt.
But Wazoo faded and I caught up to the lead group of three. By 2.5 miles it was just Devin and me. He has not been training much this summer due to injuries. We were not setting any speed records and it almost seemed like a tempo run. But by 4 miles I was feeling it and he pulled away effortlesly. I hung for 2nd, 14 seconds back with a 28:32. Third was about a minute back, a soldier who had just returned from a tour in Iraq.
Mile Splits, 5:48, 11:37, 17:27, 23:03
So actually a good outing, but seriously, the opera club and the running club? Oil and water.
In 2nd place now for the series - not planning on Equinox, but should get into the final top 5 with one more xc race, a 5K next week. This one I enjoy doing.
http://www.newsminer.com/photos/2009/aug/24/10751
Unlike earlier versions of this August 8K (prior to about 2006 or 2007) this race is not all that well organized - course is dubiously marked with maybe 3-5 course marshals on hand, and it's way too expensive ($25) for a local race. Entries have fallen off the charts, from more than 300 just a few years ago to about 100 this time, even though it was a beautiful day, partly cloudy with no wind and about 60 degrees.
The only reason I entered was to get some points for the local Flint Hills Series, which for reasons I don't quite understand, has also dropped off in participation and competitiveness in recent years. Maybe because the same yahoos keep walking off with the vests...but that's another issue.
Just before lining up I looked around and none of the usual suspects were there---could it be, could this be my day to take a local Flint Hills race? Not so fast!
Standing right next to me was Devin McDowell, 2004 state 3200 m champion and Midnight Sun Run winner, back for a short visit before his last semester at college. I hadn't seen Devin in a few years so it was good to catch up.
Our initial pace was moderate and we actually were talking a bit, and it looked like a couple of ringers would be in the mix, including a tall lean guy wearing a Wazoo (Washington State U) shirt who took it out hard for a half mile, "Huh?" Devin asked, as I dropped back so not to go into early oxygen debt.
But Wazoo faded and I caught up to the lead group of three. By 2.5 miles it was just Devin and me. He has not been training much this summer due to injuries. We were not setting any speed records and it almost seemed like a tempo run. But by 4 miles I was feeling it and he pulled away effortlesly. I hung for 2nd, 14 seconds back with a 28:32. Third was about a minute back, a soldier who had just returned from a tour in Iraq.
Mile Splits, 5:48, 11:37, 17:27, 23:03
So actually a good outing, but seriously, the opera club and the running club? Oil and water.
In 2nd place now for the series - not planning on Equinox, but should get into the final top 5 with one more xc race, a 5K next week. This one I enjoy doing.
posted by Roger at
4:29 PM
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