I didn't really feel good, and I didn't know the course, so had no idea what to expect, except that I knew this was going to hurt, which always makes me a little nervous. Kind of like going to the dentist except I wasn't 100 percent certain why I was there. Oh well, here comes the man with the drill, err, airhorn, so I guess we're going to do this after all.

I took a pretty good position on the start line, next to two college runners and someone older (33, as it turned out) who clearly knew them and was competitive with them. I know, you don't judge a runner by how they look. But college guy #1 (and eventual winner) looked to have 5 percent body fat, and appeared to me to be two legs and a couple of lungs. The other two weren't far off that. In short, they looked fast. I decided that keeping them in sight as long as possible would probably be a good challenge.

And we're off. The four of us went to the front, but they were faster than I, so while I did keep them in sight, they gapped me very early on. OK, so 4th place it is. I can be happy with that. Then, on the second big hill, three guys went by me, including one guy who honestly appeared to be 200 pounds or more. He was in decent shape, but getting passed going up a steep hill by a guy who weighs at least 60 pounds more than me was a little depressing, and feelings of self-doubt swarmed around me. OK, so 7th place it is. I can be happy with that.

Well, within a quarter mile, it became apparent that the three who passed me were now fading quickly, and I pulled away from them pretty easily on a steep downhill and then pushed hard up the next hill to make sure that the gap stuck. It did. Up, down, up, down. By this time I had already been weaving through the back side of the 10k race -- they should have separated the races by 15 minutes rather than 5. I passed by one couple who were chatting and running, and when I went by, she said "he sure is in a hurry". She was right. I was in a hurry to pass out at the finish line. Up, down, up down. Is this a race or a see-saw?

Mile 1.5 and the 5k turned back towards the finish while the 10k went on, so I was suddenly alone. I could just make out one of the college kids and the 33yo, the latter of whom was dropping off. Maybe I'd even catch him! Then the terrain really turned up. This hill sucked the will to live right out of me, and I just wanted it to be over. I committed the cardinal sin of running and looked behind me. Nobody there, so I can just focus on getting to the finish. I knew I wouldn't catch the 33yo, but I was gaining on him and he became the rabbit to keep me going.

Up, up, down, up, up, down. Did I mention the hills? Just before the turn towards the finish, on the final very steep climb, some well-meaning volunteer pointing the way said "you're done!". Well, not yet, sir, and don't say that again or I might puke. Up, up, and then mercifully flat around a small pond, to the finish. 4th place overall. I can be happy with that.

I watched Samuel finish, and got to high-five him on his way to the line. He was excited and I was over the moon to see him enjoying himself. Then a while later Muireall came through. She is such a ham -- she got lots of cheers and made the most of it by giving her princess-wave to her adoring fans. Later I learned that the hills had got her down a bit around mile 2 and she had said "I'm going to take this chip off and ask the police man to take me back". LOL. But she stuck it out and made it to the line and the pain of the hills was instantly superceded by the joy of accomplishment. And you can't beat that.




No taper, no 5k-specific training. The time is meaningless anyway because this wasn't a 5k race; it was a mountain-climbing race. Fun times.


Quite well run. A nice local 5K. Did I mention that they have hills?