Quick in and out run today. Need to leave right after the race so I'll miss any raffles. Feeling really good. Ready to run Tacoma Marathon tomorrow. I'll do a short warm up to keep the mileage low. Its cloudy with some wind. Cool and decent running weather. New start closer to the Capitol. We will go slightly downhill for a tenth of a mile, then make a sharp right turn and head uphill to the turn around. Lots of children running and many casual runners. Most of the faster runners do the 8K race. I'm glad that Bill chose the 8K because I am pretty sure that he would beat me if we raced together.
Start - Line up near the front. Still there are some small kids directly in front of me. Off we go and everyone goes flying out too fast. At the turn, looking uphill I can see that there are many people ahead of me, despite the fact that I am on 6:38/mile pace according to the GPS.
Mile 0.5 - One by one I am picking off the kids in their high top basketball shoes.
Mile 1 - Nice to get to the turn around and know that it is all downhill.
Mile 1.7 - No one has passed me and I continue to pass some people. I catch up to a guy who looks about my age. Every time I have run this race I have gotten an age group award, but seeing the runners ahead of me, coming toward me before the turn around, most of them looked like they could be in my age group. I ask the guy how old he is and yes he is in my age group. I make a move and pull ahead of him, but very quickly he matches it and blows past me on the final shot to the finish. When I realize that I will not be able to catch him, I ease back also remembering that I have a marathon tomorrow. My last 50 yards is lame, but I am really happy to get in under 14 minutes and do way better than last year. Legs feel good and strong.
Mile 2.0 - I congratulate the guy who beat me, then take a look at the board where they are taping finishers bib tags so I can see how I placed. 14th overall is really good, but I will have to settle for 4th in my age group. That has me a little discouraged but I get over it quickly and enjoy watching others finish, before I have to leave.
13:52
14th of 83
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