I arrived late, but fortunately, the race was delayed 10 minutes. The plan was to start out easy -- I was targeting 11 minute miles to start -- and I hit those. I was running near the back of the pack, and at the turn off for the 1 mile and 5k race, I found myself alone and at the very back (read: last person) in the 15k race, by quite a bit. I tried not to be discouraged.

I passed the first person between two and three miles. She had been running pretty steadily, but she started taking walking breaks, and I didn't -- and didn't plan to, except through the water stations.

The winner came off the hill and passed me on his way back to Lindsborg about a half a mile before the gates to Coronado Heights. He was flying. Then began a steady stream of people heading back to town. But I didn't lose hope. I knew going into this that I was going to be at the back, and at this point, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be very last, so I took comfort in that.

My plan was to walk up the steeper portions of the hill, but Salty had suggested that I try to run it. As I hit the hill, I remember that she told me that my fitness was there and that I would be able to run it, so I dug in and ran. At each turn, I told myself, "This isn't so bad. You can keep doing this." My family and I have hiked around the heights quite a bit, so I knew exactly what this road looked like. I knew when I was at the half way point up (3 minutes), so I told myself, "Only 3 more minutes, and then you'll be at the top. You can keep doing this." And I did. I almost did a double fist pump when I reached the top -- I probably would have except that there was a water station up there. So I remained calm and cool. I made it to the top in a little over 6 minutes.

Then I started down. I remember Yanti said not to put on the brakes, to just run down. So I kept my arms out for stability, and just let my legs go. I didn't try to hold back; I just tried not to fall. I made it down the hill in just under five minutes, and, to my surprise, I passed someone on the hill. He looked like he was really suffering --

After I came off the hill, I saw a couple running about half a mile in front of me (maybe a little less). I decided to target them. I thought it would be amazing to have four people slower instead of just two -- although I was a little nervous that the guy I passed on the hill would pass me back once we were on the flats. He never did, and in fact, I put quite a bit more distance between the two of us.

And this is the most amazing part. I slowly gained on the couple in front of me -- a man and a woman. To me, it looked like he wanted to take off and go faster, but he didn't want to leave her. He was trying to pull her along with his pace, but she wasn't taking it. I passed them with a little less than two miles to go, and finished 90 seconds in front of them. Once we got to the paved road, I really picked up my pace.

Finished with 20 seconds to spare on my goal of 1:40. (Edit -- official results came out this morning -- I finished with just 5 seconds to spare)

Nothing. I ran this as I planned, even better than planned since I ran up the hill. My first 5k race in April 2011, after finishing the C25k was in 34 minutes. My pace for this 15k was faster. So I am heading in the right direction. I am very satisfied. This was well run for me, especially compared to the 13.1 last month. This was a confidence booster heading into the 25k in November.

Stretched. Ate a banana and drank some Gatorade. Started getting cold, so while we waited for the rest of the 15k people to come in, I went to the car and changed out of my running shirt to the long sleeved race shirt and my jacket. Went to the coffee shop to get a London Fog. Walked out with my London Fog just as the last 15k person was coming in.


I need more long runs, and I need more hills.