Then gun goes off and out we go - it's hard for me to get into a steady pace right away as there is a hill when you exit Butler Stadium and that tends to throw me off, but once we're up on the flats, I'm good to go. The first mile is another sub-10. All I can do is laugh because I don't even have anyone I can blame for it this weekend! I do make a point of easing off the throttle a bit because there are still 8.3 miles to go. But man, I am feeling good and it's just great to have this tiny bit of rain coming down for us. Mile 2 is uneventful and comes in at 10:37 - much more reasonable! I walk the water station as I usually do and keep plugging along.

Somewhere past mile 3 we pass the McDonald's on base and there are a few comments about how a cheeseburger would be nice about now. The rain is still with us, my pace is more in it's "normal" place and I am one happy camper. I pass a gal who is walking and ask if she's OK. "Oh, yes, thanks! I just walk sometimes." I can relate to that! She starts running again and we stick together through the water station (she is a "walk the water station" person, too!) but not too long after that, she looks up and says, "Uh oh." Her kids are coming the other way. Her son is dropping her daughter back with her - "She can't keep up with me and thinks she's going to be sick." So, Mom & daughter walk and I wish them well and continue on my way. (Son is already hoofing it back the other direction and I eventually lose sight of him.)

We come along a hard right turn and I see it. The hill. Well, this better be the hill, cause if there is one that is worse, that would be BAD. Actually, it's 2 hills. So, I put my head down, lean in and up I go the first one, enjoy the very brief flat and up the second one and see...a third one. I give myself permission to walk on the flat for now, because it's that or curl up in the fetal position on the side of the road. Many others are taking the same track. Once the grade changes again, I am running again. I want to spend as little time as possible on this last hill! Finally we crest it and hallelujah, there is a downhill on the other side!!! Cruising down that hill felt SO GOOD. The wind also briefly picked up a bit around this point - insta-cooling! At the side of the road is a gentleman with 4 or 5 kids at the bottom of the hill that did the 1 mile fun run and they're cheering everyone on. "You beat the hill! It's all flat from here!" WOOT!

Walked the water station at 6, still just super happy with my pace even with the break I took on the hill. The rain is still with us - not even enough to get you actually "wet", just keeping everyone at just the right temps - everyone I talked with commented on how perfect it was today. We've also hit the point on the course where I know where I am and where everything is at this point - this is the road I drove in when I came on base this morning. There's a lot to be said for knowing the course.

Miles 7 & 8 are kind of a blur. I'm trucking along, watching the golfers, enjoying the weather, thrilled that I don't feel the need to walk until the water station. Talked with a gal that did the trail run here in April - she liked it enough she's doing the whole 2006 race series at Quantico - says she doesn't want to run in downtown ever again. I can see why - Quantico is a great place to run. They support the races well, it's beautiful with all the trees and the place just flat out has character.

Hit the final water station - just a smidge over a mile to go! The last mile is always the best mile. Now, the mind games begin... How hard do I push but still avoid a repeat of my last performance of getting sick on the infield at Butler Stadium? Lots of debating back and forth in my head and I suddenly bust out laughing because I am simply not that great a runner and you'd think I was strategizing to qualify for Boston or something. Oooooh, soccer players!! I enjoy that little distraction as long as I can. (OK, I'm horrible and sexist and probably am lucky I didn't get hit by a car or something for it.)

As I come up to the turn for the stadium, one of the volunteers is there and she is running people in. Turns out she had an ankle injury and hasn't been able to run for over a month and this is her first chance to get out and move and she is SO HAPPY. She sticks with me down to the track and I am kicking it out hard and it feels great - I pass the point of the "puke & sprint" incident of last November and notice that the grass is in fact growing there again. Around the curve of the track and to the chute - they're actually using the arch for the Marine Corps Marathon and I said to her "I will be seeing that on October 29th!" "AWESOME!" I am totally booking it at this point and go flying through the finish and feel terrific.

Can't think of a thing - enjoyed myself the entire time.

Got my water & cookies and did some stretching as they started the awards. Apparently there was something wrong with the chips as I was announced the women's open winner. First, I looked around to be sure all the other female participants had not been abducted by aliens - nope - and my name isn't quite common enough that there would be two of us there, so I went over to the awards tent and let them know, unfortunately, that wasn't me. Still kinda cool to get announced as the winner. :) (Though I feel bad that the actual winner is at this point, unknown.)


Nothing, the weather was perfect, I felt great and couldn't have asked for a better result.


The race series at Quantico is terrific. Not super fancy, but well supported, they don't run out of water even for us back of the pack folks. And whoever designed the t-shirts this year should get an award - not ugly!