Well I haven't run in a couple of weeks per doctors orders, I have an ear infection but I wanted to run this race anyway. My ear was better and I figured one race wasn't too excessive. It was cold! My goal for this race is to break 30min's. To do that on this course I need to train for the hills, which I haven't done and to have good conditions which I haven't had the last couple of years.

I started off on a pretty quick pace with the strong winds at my back and going downhill to the entrance and kept a good pace thru the first mile and half. At that point we head into the wind and up a series of bigger uphill runs and it zapped my energy pretty good. I kept a decent but slower pace thru mile 3 and was able to pick up the pace as the wind was blocked. Also at this time the sun broke thru the clouds and with no wind I was getting hot with all my layers on. I started sweating just in time for the sun to disappear and the wind to return. The last mile was taking forever and the last 1/2 mile was uphill and into the wind. I think it took me 10 min's to get to the finish line. Ok, maybe not 10 min's but the last uphill was tough.

Hill training but that is difficult because my Tri-season ended early this year after Chicago's Tri in Auguest. I then took some time off and wasn't in the best of shape for this race at the end of November. I am also about 7lbs heavier than my race weight this past season. I still count this a a good race and run for me, I got out in cold and ran.

Walked around the parking lot to catch my breath and cool down before I headed inside to check in after the race.


Wind, wind, cold, wind and training


This race is in it's third year and I will continue to do it every year. It is growing every year, the first year had 50 people or so and this year was 275.