With all the aches and pains I've been having I wasn't too optimisitc about this race. I started middle in about the second row and got thrashed. They should have given us a bit more room to the ambulance and street barackades at the start was quite cramped with 211 people. At the start, I got banged more than I do in most swim starts. One dude kick my foot, then someone bangs my elbows, and I got a nice hip check by an idiot sprinting through the traffic. I got going but felt like I was getting passed left and right (probably because I was), and when the 3-4 12 year olds went by I started to feel a bit depressed. But I stayed calm and easied into space and started to let my stride out. A dude in a half fast running club shirt passed me just before the first turn, he would be the last one to do that. Going past the first turn to the 1 mile kids run turnaround, I started to pck up the tempo and the race was finally on. The next half mile I blew past groups of people and going up the hills I blew past the kids, cruised past the dude in the Tshirt who was lined up in the front row talking smack to his friends, passed the dude who hip checked me (and finsihed over 5 min behind me), and really got going. I hit the half way point and passed one last kid (he fished in the top 20 and was 12 very impressive) and then kicked it into gear on the rolling downhill stretch as we headed back. I caught one guy at the bottom of that stretch and he matched me, asked me if I was good (I assume he meant OK) and pulled back ahead during the next uphill section as we both pushed it, but after the next turn as the slope went down I pushed it. I made up almost as much ground on the downslopes as the uphills as I found alot of people ease up on the downhill especially after busting it uphill. So I repassed and opened up a gap on my partner and pushed hard getting 3-4 more. The last was turning onto Main and it turn out that was for positon in my age group. I pushed hard to the finish as he tried to stick with me as well but I was able to put enough of a gap on him by to not have to worry about a monster kick. The very last section turns back uphill and I started to be able to make out the clock and it was still reading 20 min + but I was still a bit far out (and the hill didn't help)so I had to watch it flip over to 21 min, but I came home in 21:12 a nice symmetrical PR (p0st 14 year layoff - full disclosure I ran a 15:58 as a senior in high school), finsished 14th overall and second in my age groups.

My start was horrific. I was a half mile in before I kick into race mode. It was good to pass about 30 people, and I felt really strong, but if I got off to a better start.... well I think I still could have run as agressively in the final 2 miles, cause I still had more at the end. Good race given how it played out.

Walked around a bit, headed inside to get some oranges and drinks. Then walked to the car changed into my sweat top and walked back to the awards ceremony and cheered on the late finishers. Visited Tammy downstairs at the civic center, who teaches Tai Chi on Saturday Mornings with Activate Phoniexville.


Poor start and just not mentally into it for the first half mile. Was great once I switched into the right mindset. Probably could have warmed up better too.


For a first year race it was very well done. 211 finishers for a first year race is impressive to me. Each interscetion was well marked and had volunteers/police. 1 water station is about right for a 5k (just after 2 mile mark), but I passed it. Good job with the finish line and results were posted quickly and should be online by tomorrow. Only issue was spacing at the start area but I gave them a pass since I don't think they expected so many folks to sign up on race day. Good job!