7/4/04 Steilacoom 4 on the 4th

This is becoming a tradition. Surprised to see Wayne Bridges here. His son Seth is quite the runner and Wayne has started running too. Pretty nice weather although it will be warm on the way back. Feeling patriotic today.
Mile 0.5 - 3 minutes and change. Going plenty fast enough. Wayne is about 25 feet in front of me. Amtrak train is coming towards us and blows its horn. View of train, Puget Sound, and tons of runners. Good to be an American
Mile 1 - Wayne is ahead of me but in sight.
Mile 2 - Turn around. Wayne is same distance away
Mile 3 - Now it is getting hard. All of a sudden I see that Wayne is walking!! I cruise past him and head up the hill to the finish.
Mile 4 - Fun time today. Wayne says that he walked a little so that he could look good at the finish. He would superimprove in the next year and has beaten me many times since then.
29:45
70 of 187
***

5/16/04 Capital City Half Marathon

It has been four years since I race raced anything farther than 12K. I have finally gotten my mileage up and I have gotten some medium long runs in. I know that I will not be very speedy today but I do enjoy the whole race atmosphere and Cap City is such a quality event. I hope to run 8 minute miles. Cloudy and cool.
Start - Joan Benoit Samuelson is here also running the half. Maybe I can beat her :)
Mile 5 - Plugging along but not going to make my time goal. Already getting hard to hold pace.
Mile 11 - Actually I have been doing well, but all of a sudden it is getting very tough.
Mile 12.5 - Knee pain on the downhill. Very painfull and hard finish.
Mile 13.1 - Glad that one is over. Nice to do the half, but if I can get back in shape I think I'd like to run the full again next year.
1:49:02
244th of 888
****

5/1/04 Public Agency Challenge 10K

New race for me. I love the state capitol start and finish. Race is put on by the YMCA but is geared toward workers in the various state agencies. There is competition between those groups, but the race is open to the public and many of the regulars are here. Nice morning with bright sunshine.
Mile 3 - keeping a good pace and feeling strong in the legs. Sun is so bright however I wish I had sunglasses. Also it is getting hot out here.
Mile 6.2 - Strong finish. Very pleased with time. Quality race I will plan to run again.
46:45
43rd of 147
****

4/10/04 10K

Bob Green race at Millersylvania State Park. Why run on the beautiful wide trails when we have 50MPH asphalt roads with no shoulder? Jody will run the 5K. Warm and sunny.
Mile 2 - Went out too fast.
Mile 4 - Unable to hold pace. I am floundering. And hot.
Mile 6.2 - Not my best effort but I had a fun time. I should have been able to pace better. At least no one got hit by a car.
49:04
10th place of 37
****

3/7/04 Odd Distance Runs 8 Miles

Bob Green race at Millersylvania. Here is an idea: offer race distances that no one else does. At least you get a PR. Low turn out though, really who wants to race a non standard distance? It is windy and warm.
Start - Small group of runners gather at the start. We are going to start all the races at the same time. 4 miles, 8 miles, 11 miles. I am curious to know who else will be running the 8 mile race. I ask around and it seems like ony one other guy will be doing the 8 miles. I hope he is slow.
Mile 1 - 6:40, ouch that is way too fast. I will pay for it later.
Mile 3 - A couple of guys are ahead of me now, but I think they are doing the longer race. Others who were ahead of me turned around for the shorter race. The guy who is also doing my distance is right behind me.
Mile 3.8 - Yes I see the turn around and the guys ahead of me are in fact going longer. I am in first place!! But I know I will slow and this guy is right on my heels and sounding very comfortable. There is no way that I am going to beat him.
Mile 3.99 - Right behind me I hear "I think I'll do the 11 mile race". I hit the turn around and my competitor keeps right on going thanks to his last minute descision to change races. Not a problem, Bob Green won't mind. Wait a sec, I am in first place!!
Mile 4.1 - Nobody behind me, maybe a couple of other 11 milers still coming at me, but they do not turn around at mile 4, so I am all alone.
Mile 5 - I knew it would get tough here. Without any competition there is little incentive to push it. I wish there was someone back there, but not too close. I am slowing and enjoying the fact that I can say I won the race.
Mile 8 - Cruise on in to my second ever victory. Receive an overall winner trophy. Thank the guy who decided to run longer. Who does that? Start a race at one distance and then opt to go longer.
1:05:04 "PR"
1st place of 1 finisher
****

2/21/04 Resolution Run 15K

Drove up with Raymond for this one, such nice company. See Bree before the start. I tell them that I will absolutely run a PR today. Then I tell the truth, that I have never raced 15K before. Cloudy and cool.
Mile 1 - Nice easy 8:30 and now I am ready to go a little faster
Mile 4 - There is Bree on her way back. She encourages me. Its cool to know someone who is that fast.
Mile 8 - Struggling to keep pace, floundering a bit, but done good on the hills
Finish - Round the track and very pleased to get in under 1:15
1:14:15 (7:59 per mile pace)
65th place of 160
****

2/14/04 Friendship Run 5K

First time race in west Olympia, to benefit a pre-school. Tammy's first race!! Jody running the 5K and Caleb running the one mile race. Cool.
Start - Can we get started please? It is really cold outside. Organizers are doing what they can but it is obviously a first time event. Nice little crowd and we are patient. Eventually we are sent off.
Mile 1 - I like the course. We are on a nice paved trail with some curves. Cut the corners as best I can
Mile 2 - Heading back now on a road parallel to the trail. Flattish nice course, but I am not going as fast as I would like.
Mile 3.1 - Turn the corner and sprint of a little hill to the finish. Not my best time, but it was fun. Cheer on Tammy, then Jody. Caleb won the one mile race. Wait aroung forever for results and raffles. Good post race food. Tammy has a smooth stride and has the makings of a good runner, so fun to have her join us.
23:14
12th of 53 3rd place in age group (won a water bottle)
****