2016 Dirty Love 10K
2014 - 1:02:11, 13th place
2015 -58:50, 28th place
As advertised earlier this week, it was ####### cold - much colder this year than the previous two years. It got above single digits by the time the gun went off though! However, to my surprise, I noticed while I was warming up (warming up - also a first) there was not a ton of snow. We got more than a foot at my house, but only a couple inches after Wednesday. I guess whatever snow piled up out there got matted down over the last few days. I wasn't sure what to expect as far as times, but I felt better about my pr chances about this time.
I went back to the car, disrobed, then waited until five minutes before the gun to jog to the start line as I stayed warm. My friends see me trotting through the woods all just shake their heads in sync as I show up a minute before the start of the race, per usual. 'Hey guys, good luck, talk to you after the race, peace.' BANG.
I was very happy with my race last year, but my one mistake was the first quarter mile. I was determined not to get bottle necked again. I hate starting races fast anymore, but there's no choice here. I got to the quarter mile bridge just before the single track started in 7th'ish place, as planned. To my surprise, I felt the pack directly in front of me was moving slower than I wanted to. I dealt with it for a couple minutes, but I knew I had a walking segment at mile one and wanted to take advantage of this mile more than I was. Having practiced these trails a lot more than previous winters I knew there were two short back to back gaps to pick them off, the second of which on a sharp 30' down hill side hill. I got all four of them within about 30 seconds and found myself in 3rd. I knew I'd lose 1 and 2 on the steep climb at mile one, but I wanted to get there by then, figured it'd help later.
Once I got halfway up the climb and I was no longer running much faster than a brisk walk pace I started hiking. A lot of people passed me, but I didn't count how many. Once getting to the top, segment two began. I had a little less than two miles before the next walk. The next quarter mile is wider, so I need to pass as many people as I can before we branch off into something tighter again. It's still uphill, but a much lower grade. Since I walked the end of the steep grade I breezed by 3 or 4 during this stretch. I came just short of passing one more, but there was a good downhill segment I figured I could slip by him despite the tight trail. I had to jump a tree, but I managed. I used this downhill stretch to catch the next pack. We turn and start a gentle climb again rather quickly, so I wanted pacers. I stayed about 5-10' back all the way to the next walk. It's about 10 steep stairs that I can one step walking but would need to two step running. Lose about 20' in distance, but popped a couple of chews and took off again.
This is my best segment. It's mostly downhill and none of the ups are rough enough to kill your pace. I picked one off and got right on the hip of the other two once the down segment was done. I was very happy with where I was, so I took the foot off the throttle here (more on this later) as I didn't want to run out of energy late. I basically stayed on their hip for the next 3/4 mile until the next walking segment ( similar as the last one). I lost another 20' but then I took off after. Got the first one a minute later and number two a minute after that. Blew by them so fast that when I got to the last 10 second walking segment a half mile later neither one of them were close enough to pass me before starting running again. I popped my last two chews and really laid the hammer down. The next five minutes can be attacked, but the finish is tight. I saw a target I hadn't seen all race soon thereafter and pushed myself to passing him on the final steep down before it tightens up, which i did. I figured I'd coast at this point as I had already blown my expectations out of the water, but I saw one more target as I got to the bottom of the hill. As I said, this stretch is tight, but there are a couple of spots to make a move and the final 50 meters are a sprint. Go time. I made tremendous progress on a down stretch, but he created space on the climb thereafter. I figured I had to really attack the final two downs if I stood a chance, which I did, but as he fessed up later - he saw me coming and attacked the final downs more than he had earlier. As I emerged from the woods catching him wasn't going to happen, I saw a 4 on the timer, I did a double take, mini pumped my fist, then temporarily just decided to smile and enjoy the sprint in. As I got closer I saw 47:5_ and made a final push to make sure I crossed in under 48 though.
47:58, 4th overall, age group winner, 10+ minute pr, and a 24 place improvement over a year ago. Holy ####.
At first I was floored, couldn't believe what I just did. Then I thought back to that stretch in the middle of the race in which I chose to conserve energy, and realized had I not then I'd have had a podium. Then perspective quickly kicked in reminding me HOLY #### YOU PR'D BY TEN PLUS MINUTES. So I enjoyed the rest of the day. But now I have something to work towards for next year...