trail running 3:02:30 [3] 16.0 mi (11:24 / mi)
weight:138.5lbs
Northern Nipmuck trail race, 16 miles, out and back, reasonably hilly and rocky. Cool and gray to start, mid 40s, started to rain after about two hours and the temperature dropped (39F back at the car when I was leaving). For the first hour I'd been thinking I had too much on -- shorts and a long-sleeve synthetic top -- as I was sweating quite a bit, but towards the end I was feeling chilly, especially the hands. Got back to the car, changed, warmed up, went to get some food, they offered chicken soup, it was delicious but by the second spoonful both hands were shaking so hard I could hardly manage, so I beat a retreat to the warm car and things improved greatly.
Saw my old ultrarunning/rogaining partner Fred Pilon. That was real nice, it's been a while. A bit of a chat beforehand, and a longer one afterwards. Good to catch up.
Oh, and the race. I'd run it before, I think always between 2:35 and 2:45, but this time my expectations were much lower, maybe in the 3:10-3:20 range with a worst case 3:30, on account of both advancing age and not have run more than an hour for many months. Realistically, I didn't know how I'd manage. I set very tentative goals for the 4 segments of 45, 50, 50, and 50 -- 1 and 4 are a little shorter, though 4 is a bit uphill and by then the legs are usually toast.
Gail asked me afterwards if I raced or loafed. I's say I raced, though carefully, more just trying to monitor my energy output so that I would last the full distance. Walked lots and lots of uphills and didn't charge the downhills.
Splits were 39:55, 48:29, 50:15, and 43:50. 3:02:30 total, delighted.
Best part as usual was the last 3/4 mile or so, all downhill, some good footing and some rocky. I got to the top with three guys right on my tail, but I knew I would dust them -- they had been stronger going up but slower going down, especially when it was rocky -- and I did. Was by myself pretty quickly, really cruising, felt great, about a 1/4 mile to go I spot a guy maybe 100 yards ahead, don't think much about it but I am moving really well, diagonally downhill, a little rocky. And before long he's only 50 yards ahead, and then I see there are two of them, and then there's the last little pitch, 50 yards of rocks, and they're tentative and I'm going full speed and I'm by them 20 yards before the finish.
I guess you never lose the competitive feeling. But given how slowly I'm usually moving these days, it was a rare and, I will admit, totally enjoyable moment.