WWC Labor Day 15K

I was hoping with the arrival of September that I might get a dry cool morning. I got luke-warm but humid one. Still ok just not super great weather for a 15k race. 

We headed off from the start and picked up the Parkway Trail. A couple of guys just took off. 3rd, 4th, and myself settled in to a nice pace. Passing by the guard shack, the 3rd place guy let the 4th place guy and myself pass. Apparently the pace was too rich for him. I stayed tucked in right behind the 4th place guy. He was much younger and seemed to be a bit stronger than me. He would open some distance on me with each hill but I could pull it back once the course leveled out. 

From Parkway, we headed for Bandit. As we were crossing the road, cars were zipping by in both directions. It is a little unsettling to want to push forward yet need to hold up. No one was present that I saw to control the traffic, and I didn't see any signs. Definitely, this was place for improvement next year. Heading further into the Bandit, I got past the 4th place guy. He told me that he was regretting having signed up race day. 

When I reached the prairie section on Bandit, I could see the 2nd place guy for the first time. I finally caught him coming off Bandit and heading back to Parkway. Parkway has a couple of long stretches. Here I spotted the leader. He had about 600 meters on me. Off Parkway, crossing the parking lot, and up a side trail to the channel loop, I had it down to about 50 yards. I caught him on North Main. However, he pulled back out by about 15 yards. I thought maybe seeing me gave him a burst of energy. We ran like this across the ridge but as we dropped down by the river, we get in a bunch of little rollers. I closed up on him, and on one of the switchbacks, I got past him. 

Suddenly, I had to switch from offense to defense. I expected a response from him. When I rounded the next switchback, I didn't see him. Maybe he was hurting more than he let on. I didn't linger on this thought for too long. The finish was nearly insight, and I wanted to get there first if I could. 

Hitting the last switchback, I didn't see anyone. I then turned my eyes down trail and headed for the finish. No more looking back. Run hard to the finish. 

I finished in 1:19:19 for 10 miles. Yes, the course was a bit long but hey, doesn't everything these days have a "+" on the end of it. 

I have been struggling most of this year, and I am hoping that this is a sign that I am turning things around. Time will tell. I plan to do lots of racing this fall. 

The Cool Down Runner