OK, so change of strategy then. I set out at a hard pace to accomplish two things, get my HR up fast and see if anyone would come with me. I could hear JT right behind me and see his shadow but he began to fade a bit within the first mile. I was waiting to see if anyone else cam up but it was all quiet behind me. I never looked back and even when the trail adfforded an easy view to where I had been, I didn't bother to look. My plan now was to runa away and hide up the trail, out of sight, out of mind. If they couldn't see me, they wouldn't chase me. So I burried myself. My HR was at our above 10K efforst and I hammered on.

The first 5 miles or so has a net gain in elevation, although you are sonstantly climbing up over ridges and down into washes. The hills weren't long, but they were steep, very steep. Running down them fast was a bit scary and my HR would be just as elevated going down as it was going up. Even the flats at this point were slightly up. I wasn't sure if I could hold on to the effort, but I knew around mile 6-7 there was a ridgeline we would run that was a net downhill that would allow for a bit of recovery.

I was working through the back of the 25K racers and around halfway, I was managing to hold the effort. I climbed to the top of the ridge and headed back east and allowed my HR to drop to the mid to low 160's for a few min. The trail was open but very rocky, so you had to watch your footing constantly. I knew the last 2-3 miles were relentlessy up and down with a net gain in elevation back to the finish so I tried my best to gather myself and prepare for it. It didn't dissapoint and the only fun part was passing some of my friends doing the 25K. I slapped a few butts as I passed by.

Finally I could see the parking lot and the finsih line with about 1/2 mile to go. For the first and only time during the race I looked back to make sure I was alone. The last .2 miles up the parking lot was a buit slow and I was DONE. I crossed the line and was immediatlety handed a trophy, fastest awards ceremony ever!

Nothing, I accomplished what i set out to do, test my run LT and win the race.

I waited to see veryone else finsih. The second place guy in my race was about 3min back from me. He mentioned after 4 miles he couldn't see me anyomore and I told him that was the plan. Jamie had a great race, finsishing 6th OA woman in 1:32 and Nick won the 25K, so it was a Durapulse podium for the two events. Great race!