10/19/13 Club Oly Tis the Season for a 5K race #1 at The Evergreen State College

My 5th race in five weeks. New course for this race.  It is only on trails and it will have some rooty single track and hills.  I have never run out here before.

Park in the F lot as instructed and walk the quarter mile to the start/finish area, where most people have also found parking.  Only 16 racers and plenty of volunteers so everything goes smoothly.  My $35 annual membership in Club Oly gets me free entry for the race series and a nice long sleeve tech shirt.

Amy and I do a one mile warm up to scope out the course and turn around at the base of a steep hill.  Better save it for the race.

The race - We start well and the first part is wide enough for passing.  I don't need to pass anyone and I hit a good pace right away.  In some places the trail is very runnable, I can go as fast as I like.  Other places have lots of roots and most are painted so we know they are there.  Up the steep hill that turned me back earlier.  Now a nice runnable part.  I pass Mia and then one guy, and I think that we may be the last two men.  Now the trail twists and there are two logs to go over.  I am not prepared for that and I step over them instead of jumping.  A steep rooty downhill where I decide to not push it and injure myself.  Hopefully I am gathering my breath as I pick my way down.  Faster on the flat then I slow on the uphill.  I can sense that the guy I passed is gaining on me as I climb uphill.  Back through the well marked trail, with volunteers (Bill, Jeff, Heike, Tammy) to help direct us.  Now that big hill for the second time.  I can feel last week's race in my legs.  I feel like walking.  Why did I run those hills on Thursday?  I am actually doing OK, but the guy behind me now catches up and passes me.  On to the flat and downhill but I can not get back to him as he extends his lead.  Sprint to the finish.  GPS says 2.8 miles, but others read 3.2.  I never did look at my watch during the race and with this new and difficult course I was not concerned about time.

I feel like I ran fairly well,  but somehow I ended up as the last male finisher.  Trying to not let that bother me, as everything else about this morning was fun.

26:32
12th of 16  (8th of 8 men)
Race#306  5K#79
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