So as I stood there, the rain had tapered down to a nearly nonexistent drizzle. I had placed myself about 5 people deep from the front of the line. The race had opened the field to High School Runners for free, so I was going to be surrounded by a hoard of young speedsters this time. Great. Whatever. I scanned the crowd and spotted Peggy, draped in a garbage bag, and looking cold, although it was a crazy 60 degrees out. I was in my black Pearl Izumi running shorts and a snug, black tech shirt. I got her attention and gave her a hug, as we wished each other a happy Thanksgiving. The front of the line was much more sparse than in previous years, with plenty of room to walk around. I wondered if the rain was keeping people away. I dragged Peg up to the front of the line and we spoke briefly about the race, then I wished her a good race and we parted, as I went back to the very front. GAUD, most of these guys looked young. Ronald McDonald spoke, then the local news caster, and then Julie Isphording, our local running celebrity. After a interesting rendition of the National Anthem, Julie counted down from "5" and yelled GO!...and off we went. MY PLAN: Last years winner in my age group ran a average 6:09, so that is what I was shooting for a 6:03.
I've never won my age group, but for the first time ever, I secretly trained with the intention of giving the front runners another contender. I had poured over last years runners and their times, and had been tailoring my speed workouts to that ends. Now was my time to give this a shot.
Julie yelled GO and off we went. I had to dodge a few people in the opening mile, but nothing crazy. The first few hundred yards are flat, then we turn left to go up a hill and into the city. Up a hill, then some flats, then some hill, flats, hill, flats, then DOWN! Mile 1 was a 5:41. YIKES! Just a tad to fast, but I didn't feel like I was "pushing" to hard, however, I KNEW I had to slow this train down, since there were 5.2 miles left to do. I put the brakes on...I THOUGHT. Mile two was at the bottom of a hill at the entrance to Sawyer Point parking lot. MILE 2 : 5:53. I was feeling just fine. Nothing hurt. Breathing was fine. Legs felt good. Ahhhhh...the alure of "hope". Since I was feeling so good, perhaps I should keep this pace up and set some new all time record! ORRRRRRR, I should live in REALITY and realize that I did not train for this pace and have never kept this up. After all...it was ONLY mile 2. Ok,...slow my ass down some more. Whether I wanted to or not, I KNEW I was about to slow down anyhow. I was coming to my first of 3 bridges, each of which were steep and long enough to make a dent in everyones pace. We made a left and began to go over the bridge. I changed my stride and breathing and tried to keep a decent speed. Up and over and down into Newport. Just at Newport on the Levee we hit MILE 3: 6:00 minute mile. Ok, that was a bit more like it pace wise. Overall, I was still averaging in the high 5s, so I was still on course for a age group win AND a possible personal best. As I hit the first few streets in Newport, I could feel my SPEED begin to back off. I wasn't overly tired and I still felt like I had some gas in the tank, but I could also begin to "FEEL" it. Ok...I had to come to this point at SOME point. I turned a corner and the next half mile was a slight down hill, towards Covington.....towards another bridge. I tried to pick up the pace ever so slightly here, just to GO with the hill. At the bottom of the hill was the bridge...THE BRIDGE I run over during all of my training runs...the BRIDGE I've been over hundreds of times over the last 16 years....the BRIDGE that takes the OMMPH out of everyone's step at this point in this race. Not a big bridge. Not a long bridge, but it's steep and there it is, so up we go. Just over the top I collected my breath and began to put some speed back on while coming down and hitting MILE 4: 6:12. Ok....I looked at my Garmin...still averaging in the high 5:50s....still ok with only 2ish miles to go.....and one more big freaking bridge. Time to check ME out. Felt good. Breathing ok. Lactic Acid staying mostly away...just feeling tired, but knowing it would be over very soon....hold steady. Down a straight away now just trying to hold on to my present pace. I still felt I had some speed to push on for the last mile, so I was holding back just a tad. Then the last bridge loomed ahead. We took a right and began the climb up this bastard...over the Ohio River again, and back into Cincinnati. This one is long and steep. I shortened my stride again as I passed some high school kid. I would have smiled, but I was starting to feel this damn race, but I KNEW this was the last hill, and soon it was all down hill and then straight. Up we went.....and OVER! MILE 5 Split: 6:19. I immediately checked my Garmin and saw my AVERAGE time slipped to a 6:01. Crap! Although I was STILL faster than last years winner average, I didn't want to just beat it, I wanted to DESTROY it. I pushed on a little speed coming down the bridge, turned a right and hit the city streets again. Ok, I held my speed for about another quarter mile and then decided to blast my tanks. I put on the speed.....looked to my right and saw the finish line on the parallel street. I still had about 300 yards until I turned back to the finish. I felt great and held the pace. I made my turn to the right, the another right to head to the looming finish line. I passed the 6 mile marker and then opened up with whatever I had left. PUSH. Push. PUSH! I hit the line, took two steps and hit my watch. 37:59.....distance: 6:35 miles....average pace....5:59! OH MY GAUD!!!!!! FIVE FREAKING FIFTY NINE!?! I couldn't remember the last time I had EVER hit that pace for ANY distance of a race. EVER....so it's been a looooooong time since I ever did.....IF I ever did. WOW. I had the biggest freaking grin on my face. Not only did I KILL last years winning time, I CRUSHED IT! I killed my 39:39 from last year to boot! I was happier than ever....maybe even my Boston Qualify. I let out a loud yell and pumped my arms in the air.....had I FINALLY won my AG in MY RACE? I found Mary and the kids and showed Mary my Garmin. While the RACE TIME and DISTANCE would show a different pace, I knew just ran 6.35 miles in a time I could have only dreamed of.
So...I came home.
And I checked the results.
And I was 4th in my age group.
The number 1 guy crushed any time I could ever hope to see.
Number 2 and 3 were within 37 and 12 seconds of me.
And I was 4th.
Beating last years winning time in my age group.
Bitter.
Sweet.
I ran 6.35 miles with a average of 5:59....how could I possibly complain?

Nothing.
Absolutely...positively....nothing.

Walk back to car via some chocolate milk.


Gravity.


Mary found a guy named THOMAS LANE in the 60-64 age catagory who cheated the race. I wrote a letter to the race organazation and will follow up. Bastard! He cut the course and put in a WORLD RECORD time...and obviously didn't do that at all. Lets all hunt this guy down and punch him in the nose.
Updated: They removed this guy from the results. YEA! Dick!