The start of any race is just like the start of baseball season; last year is dust, this could be THE year, despite what anyone or even prior training says, so yeah, I probably went out a little hard. I found a spot toward the back of the front packs and just cruised for the first 4 miles at 6:15-6:30m/m, right where I wanted to be. It's a flat course overall, but we're talkin' really flat at the start.

From 4-7 I just zoned out and targeted some runners in the distance, going by pace and effort, trying to maintain form. My lungs felt like brand new bellows, never forced, never uneven.

Miles 7-10 got tough. Saw some BTers, G and Smoak, who shouted my name and made me feel like a rock star. Kewl kids, those guys. Alaina and Cody were there when I needed them most around mile 9, when the legs didn't want to turn over so much and my pace was touching the 6:45-6:50 mark. A few demons came out to play, luring me with talk of doing a few miles @ 7+ m/m, just to take a quick break, but I shut them down with some Yeats mantras and positivity.

10-13 were much better. Got back down to 6:20-6:35 pace as we came up on the 10k group that shared part of the course. This part was on a narrower park path, so there was plenty of dodging bodies, which spiked the HR, but that's all part of racing, and it felt good to pass so many people.

One HM guy about my age passed me and I passed him back during this stretch, but he had a final kick that I couldn't best, so kudos to him. Congratulated him on a great race afterward. "Next time, Gadget, next time!"

On the final approach I turned it up to sub 6:00 as I could see the clock just turning 1:25. Fist pumped and shouted as I crossed the finish line, so happy to have gotten what was just a dream goal before the race.

Keep a straighter line through the turns. Not much else. Spent the winter rehabbing my IT band, so I didn't do too much speedwork leading up to this. Maybe next time more interval training.

Got some sweet puppy lovin' from my dog, Cody, who practically took off after me at mile 9 but made up for it at the finishing medal table. Alaina was pretty upset that she missed my finish, but it wasn't a big deal, I just wanted to see her afterward, and she was right there for me.


10 degrees warmer would've been nice at the start, but I'm just picking at nits here.


It's a nicely priced race and they close a long stretch of Hines Drive just for the runners, so that's pretty cool. At the start there are no announcements, no countdown, just a reminder that the race will start in 5 minutes. Then someone yells, "Go!" and everyone starts. It's a local race, what did you expect? I had a blast.