3/25/06 Steilacoom 20 miler

Great prep run for a Spring Marathon. Goal = negative split. Very nice weather.

Start - Billy running the 20K. Hope he saves me some food at the end.

Mile 10 - Just under my goal pace of 9 minutes per mile. Joke with the race volunteer asking if this is the finish line. Turn around and pick up the pace to 8:30/mile.

Mile 15 - I really hate this boring course. Getting tougher but I am not slowing down.

Mile 20 - Always nice to hit the track at the end. Finished with an overall pace of 8:41/mile, very nice negative split. Great effort and results, but oh so tough group of runners in Steilacoom. Last in my age group of 9 runners.

2:53:33
50 of 63!!
***

3/4/06 Run for Luck 10K

This is becoming one of my favorite 10K races. I feel like I am on a home course here on the Chehalis Western Trail. Jody and Billy here. Nice weather, little breeze.

Start - Good small crowd. Always hard to know how many are running the 10K until we hit the 5K split off just a quarter of a mile into the race.

Mile 1 - Group has thinned out. I am running right beside Sean Sexton. We talk a little bit but with the fast pace it is hard to converse.

Mile 3.1 - Really running too fast and sure I will slow down, but holding steady with Sean.

Mile 5 - Still with Sean, we are feeding off each other and working hard.

Mile 5.5 - Sean starts to pull away from me. Good for him. I just can not keep up but I have run really well today thanks to him.

Mile 6.2 - Wow I got in under 45 minutes, way better than I expected. Congratulate and thank Sean for the good time.

44:56
25 of 83
****