Fifteen's 5k for Drea

Non-runners often question why I devote so much time and energy to competitive running, and usually I mumble about my passion for running and the sense of accomplishment that comes with improving upon past performances.  BUT when I was asked to run Fifteen's 5k, the answer to why I would compete was simple:  Drea Bear Clawson!

                                                            Baby Drea
Recently a dear friend of mine had a beautiful baby girl, Drea, who was born with Cystic Fibrosis.  Turns out Minnesota Twins relief pitcher Glen Perkins has a personal connection to CF and hosts an annual 5k from which the proceeds are donated to the CF Foundation (check out the foundation here: http://www.cff.org/).  So when asked to run to help Drea's cause, the obvious answer was, "yes, please!"

The race was very low-key, no official clock even, but it was a great celebration of the advances the CF Foundation is making, and a golden opportunity to raise even more awareness and money for the cause.  Many people were running for loved ones affected by the condition, and there was an atmosphere of fun and hope unlike any other race I've been involved with.

As an added bonus because the race was put on by a Twins player, we got to finish inside Target Field.  Super cool!  Twins players were also handing out the finishers' medals on the plaza after, but I went for a cool-down run and missed that!  Dang it!

Runners entered Target Field via a tunnel that opened up at the left field wall, ran down third base line, and crossed home plate to finish!  Sweeeeeeet!

As for the race itself, it was fine.  I think I finished in about 16:30ish and was 2nd place overall.  Wasn't thrilled with my performance, but this race was more about the cause than the race itself.  Plus, I can't be too bummed.  I ran well enough to be the women's winner which scored me a prize of 4 passes to be on the field for an upcoming batting practice session before a Twins game!  Woot woot!  That will be awesome!

 

Post-race snuggles from my biggest fan of the day - Drea!

MDRA 15k

The Minnesota Distance Running Association 15k State Championship race was this past weekend, and because it is a part of the MDRA racing series, like a few of the other races I've done this summer, it drew a good crowd of local, speedy teams and runners. 

This year the race was held in/around Crosby Farms in St. Paul. The course started with a small loop that was a little more than one mile, then did a large loop, before concluding with a final little loop at the end.  There were a couple of decent climbs, mostly early on around miles 2-3; there were some sneaky gradual, extended inclines; there were a few killer steep little charges toward the finish; and there were a lot of twists and turns, some pretty sharp, scattered throughout.  The weather was decent:  cloud cover which was great, but extremely humid.

I don't know if was the humidity or the high mileage I've been doing lately, but when I showed up for the race, I was DRAGGING.  I met up with the MN RED crew and went out for a warm-up jog.  Even at our 9:00/mile warm-up pace, my body was begging to stop and just walk already.  Gulp.

Not only that, but prior to the race, another racer/avid follower of local running spotted me and mentioned that it should be a highly competitive race for the women because there was an athlete from Team USA in the field:  Meghan (Armstrong) Peyton.  Double gulp.  I like competition, I thrive on it actually, but this morning was not feeling like a zippy day for racing.  Also to be honest, shame on me, but I didn't know who Meghan was, so I just nodded my head and smiled when she was brought up as one of the front-runners for the "W."  Turns out (I Googled her after the race), she has an extremely impressive resume!   

But despite a lethargic body and some talented competition, my brain kicked into competition mode and I focused on:  1) trusting my training, and b) myself/my race, because I can't control what others do.

Race time!  I started on the line right behind Meghan, and decided that I was just going to sit in her pocket and see what unfolded.  I didn't know how my body was going to respond today, and I find it much easier to run relaxed when I let someone else do the work early on (sorry, Meghan).  So for the first 4.5-5ish miles, Meghan was firmly in control of the race (and TCTC's Stephanie Price was in the mix too).  We were clipping through the miles steady and strong, and it was looking like it was going to be a battle to the finish.  But right around mile 5, I started to make a slow move to put a little distance between the two of us (at this point, it was just Meghan and I leading the women's field).  Meghan came right along with my first couple of surges, but then eventually a small gap started to form.  It didn't happen quickly, and I didn't ever doubt that if I faltered, she was going to be right there to hunt me down, so I kept driving through the second half of the race. 

Toward the finish, hence the tight and aggressive arm swing...using the arms to drive the legs!

For a moment, I was running alone, but just ahead was a small group of dudes so I set out to reel them in.  I caught up to them and hoped we could work together to finish the race strong.  Eventually the pack started to scatter, but I was still able to cut down pace on the last few miles, for the most part, and ended up finishing first for the women, and I believe setting a new state record for my age - 52:15 (5:36/mile pace).  Meghan finished a strong second at 53:02.  My time was a bit of a drop in pace from my half in Duluth, but it was a good exercise mentally and physically for learning how to "turn it on" even when it doesn't feel like all cylinders are firing.

                                                            Post-race Mug Shot

Come On Ride That Train...That Training Train! Woot-Woot!

Recently I realized I have only been posting after races, and since I haven’t raced in a while, I haven’t posted in a while.  But then I thought to myself, “Self, even though you’re not racing, maybe it would be cool to get your blog on.  You could talk about training because that’s what you’re doing and one or two people might find the subject interesting.”

So, here we go.  No race re-cap, just some of my own musings on training/running in general. 

1.  First stop:  motivation station (because we're on the training train...)!  

I think the biggest struggle most people have with training/running is finding the motivation to lace up each day and just do it.  When your bed is warm and snuggly, and it would be so much easier to continue snoozing, why do you get up and run?  Or conversely, it’s the end of a hectic day, you’re exhausted, hungry, and tired, what makes you peel off the business socks and get down to the real business of the day:  your run?  For me, this usually isn’t a problem.  I’m passionate about running, so whether I'm training for something or not, I look forward to my run each day.  If you’re not a weirdo like me and don’t find joy in running, it’s important to find your own source of motivation.  Maybe it requires signing up for a goal race so you have something to work towards, or enlisting the help of a running buddy/team that will keep you accountable to showing up for runs, or maybe you just need to mix yourself a kick-butt iPod playlist.  I can’t tell you exactly what will work for you when it comes to motivation, to each his own, but I can tell you that without something driving you to get out the door each day, it will be tough, if not impossible, to stay on the training train!

My current motivation = iPhone screensaver photo of Shalane Flanagan. Don't discount the effectiveness of visual aids.  Photos, notes around the house, etc. can really make a difference.

2.  One size does NOT fit all.

When it comes to an actual training plan, I can tell you that I’m currently logging about 100 miles per week.  I can also tell you that I run twice per day most days.  And I can tell you that I hit the track once per week.  So if you want to have performances similar to mine does that mean you should be doing what I’m doing?  Absolutely NOT!  Every runner is different.  We have different bodies, we're at different levels of fitness, we're at different phases of training, we have different goals, we have different lives/schedules...you see where I'm going with this?  So when it comes to training, don’t compare yourself to other runners by the miles, paces, or any other measure, find the training plan that works for YOU! 

3. Listen to your body...kind of.

Let me clarify something here, in the beginning of a training program, or in the midst of a rigorous workout, your body will likely tell you to stop.  In fact, if you’re training correctly, there will be workouts where your legs and lungs will be burning and your mind is screaming at you to just quit FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!  It’s at this point when you need to make a decision:  do you listen to the screaming and back off/give up, or do you push through?  Pushing through is what is going to make you a higher-performing runner.  And as you run more, you’ll learn to distinguish this discomfort (good) from pain (bad).  Unlike discomfort, if your body is telling you it’s in pain, stop running!  Getting injured and being out for weeks will not help your training efforts; backing off for one or two days to ensure your health will (help your efforts).  Learn to listen to your body, at the right times, and your training efforts will be much more fruitful!

                             These two ladies went into the "uncomfortable" zone.

4.  Even MC Hammer takes a break every now and then.

I used to be of the mindset that I was going to hammer out my runs moderately hard for moderate distances every single day.  There would be slight variations to this plan, but for the most part, if I was hammering out 10-13 miles per day at 6:00/mile pace, I thought I would be in decent shape to race well.  Turns out I raced fine, but I wasn’t seeing much by way of improvements.  And not only that, but training wasn’t very challenging because my body learned the routine and my hammer time started to become the norm.  I was no longer pushing my limits mentally or physically.  So:  how to prevent this with your training?  You need to balance legit hammer time (that’s 2 MC Hammer references in one…boom!) with non-hammer time.  It’s so simple to say, but so much more difficult to do.  It means there need to be days when you run shorter distances at super fast (that’s a technical running term) paces where you feel like you’re absolutely blowing yourself up.  The flip side to this will be days when you force yourself to cruise along at paces slower than molasses to let your body actively recover from the aforementioned blow-up session.  You won’t be able to get the most out of your hard sessions if you aren’t fully taking advantage of your easy sessions.  As someone wise once told me, “you have to run slower to get faster.”  The balance of high-intensity and low-intensity is what’s going to get you to your best outcome.  

                                         Who doesn't love The Hammer?

 5.  A yoda, you may need to find (Star Wars people, did I do that yoda-speak correctly?).

Sometimes you won’t know what to do in order to best train when it comes to running because you've never run a step in your life.  Or maybe you're a runner who has set a new, lofty goal, and you wisely realize that doing the same old thing is not going to get you to where you want to go.  Don’t discount enlisting some outside help in order to train smarter.  I had been doing all right on my own (personal opinion) when it came to running for the past few years, but when I decided that I wanted to take things to the next level, I sought out a coach.  I wanted someone who knew even more about running than me, and who could provide an objective perspective when it came to my training and racing.  Enter Coach Ron (http://www.miletomarathon.com/index.html).  I won’t say it came easily to give up control and trust someone else with my passion, but he has become my go-to resource for everything related to training:  mileage, paces, resting, lifting, nutrition, etc.  And with his help, I’ve been able to accomplish some pretty cool things this summer.

It hasn't been an easy road, because I am a major pain in the butt, but good ol' Coach Ron has stuck with me.  Here we are at this summer's USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships.

So there's a handful of my thoughts on training.  Most of them are probably things most runners have heard before, but it never hurts to get a reminder every once in a while.  Now stop wasting time reading things on the Interweb and get training!

April Sorenson Memorial Half Marathon - Sometimes it Rains, Sometimes it Rains Ridiculously!

The April Sorenson Memorial Half Marathon took place this past weekend in Albert Lea, MN.  I ran the race for the first time last year and found it to be a good training opportunity:  it requires relatively little travel, and doesn't conflict with any other big races, so I opted to return again this year.

The race was meant to be a training run. I ran 113 miles in the week leading up to it (highest mileage I've done in quite some time), so there was obviously no taper in effect here. And the plan for the race was to run a cut-down/progressive race. What this meant is that I was to start out at goal marathon pace (6:00-6:05/mile) to learn how to run controlled/restrained, and then then every 3 miles or so, cut a little pace (to practice finishing strong). Oh and do 5 miles on my cool-down to make the day my long run for the week.

So that was the plan.

Saturday morning rolls around and I wake up at 3am to house-shaking thunder, lightning, and a spooked dog sitting on my head. I figure my alarm will sound in 30 minutes or so anyway so I drag myself out of bed and get ready to go (I was driving to Albert Lea that morning - packet pick up is at 6am, race is at 7:30am). It's pouring rain outside, so I do my pre-race ritual 10 min/1 mile jog on the treadmill. I have a little LUNA breakfast, pack up my things, and hit the road. It is wash-out conditions in the metro area. We are talking sheets of rain! I think to myself, "this race is going to get cancelled," but keep trucking along.

I arrive in Albert Lea and it's dry. Maybe I lucked out and the storms will stay to the north. Maybe not. By 7:20am it's pouring, lightning, thundering, and the race gets postponed by 30 minutes. I had warmed-up in the rain expecting a 7:30am start though so I'm soaked and cold. I go to my car to wait out the rain delay. At 8am, they decide to get the show on the road. The race begins and it proceeds to storm, blow wind, and dump buckets (not drops) of rain on us runners for the entirety of the race. Worst weather conditions I've ever competed in...for anything. It was a boring, grind-it-out kind of race, so I won't get into it much. The cut-down was mostly executed and effective, but I didn't shave off hardly any time on each of the cut-downs. I had one 5:38 at mile 11, but all other miles were pretty pedestrian. I finished third overall (there were two speedy dudes who ran 1:10-1:11ish) and was the first female (1:17:15).  Six minutes slower than at the Half Marathon Championships!  Yuck.  But considering the conditions and the circumstances, I will take it.

No race photos because no one was crazy enough to be outside, but this is what I imagine I looked like on Saturday...it rained heavily non-stop!

The bad part of the day was that I woke up that morning with a sore throat (I think I exhausted myself last week with the high mileage and not enough sleep - I'm averaging about 6 hours per night, which some people can do, but is not enough for me to get rested/recovered). Running in the cold rain for 90 minutes, "cooling down" for an additional 5 miles after (while shivering), and then standing around in the rain for another 90 minutes in nothing but my wet race clothes (no drop bags and had to be present for awards) did not help the situation. As I write this (Monday), I definitely feel I have a little sick bug.  And at this point in my life/running career, I know I need to aggressively rest to nip this in the bud.  I will likely take the next two days or so off from running (except maybe exercising my pup Lexi) and focus on getting healthy/rested up.

Side note from the race: THANK GOD for Scott Erlandson's (my adventure racing teammate) mom, Sue. She lives in Albert Lea and volunteered to come out and watch me run/give me a ride back to Albert Lea post-race (race starts in Albert Lea and finishes in nearby Hayward). She had no idea the weather was going to be this crappy when she volunteered, but she showed up anyway. And she waited for me to get my award, AND she brought me a dry towel so at least I had that to try and stay warm with. I would have been hypothermic without her. She gets the super-star award for the day, for sure!

USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships

Half Marathon Championships (Duluth, MN)

Wowzers. Still in a bit of disbelief at how well things went this weekend. It was an unforgettable experience.

Some have heard the race recap in person, but those who haven’t, here’s what I’m sure will become a rambling account of the day…

The plan going into the weekend based on recent results and last year’s results, was definitely don’t lead the race, but be in contact with the leaders to give myself a shot to be competitive. Based on my 1:10 at Dam to Dam, and based on the top 12 last year (which is the number of finishers that receive recognition and awards), I was hoping to crack a spot anywhere from 8 to 12. My coach Ron was more confident in my placing, going so far as to claim that looking at the list of entries that he didn’t see more than five women who were running better than I am right now (no pressure there). He told me to plan on running 1:13 on a good day, and 1:15 on a “bad” day, which is completely crazy when you consider that my PR (before this race) which occurred on this very same course at the same time last year was 1:18:10. BUT… despite a normal amount of nerves and doubts, I was for the most part, confident and comfortable with the plans. I was ready to mix it up near the front.

Race day run-down:
3:30am – rise and shine.
4:15am – dropped off at shuttle bus for my 10 minute/1 mile jog.
4:30am – depart for the start.
5:00amish – arrive at the start where it is dark, cold, and misting. There is a tent for elites to chill, but it’s big enough for about 50 people with about 20 chairs, and there are 200+ of us (156 men and 61 women – arguably the largest field in race history). I grab a towel and sit on the ground, trying to save my legs until warm-up time.
5:30amish – head out to warm up, visit the restroom multiple times (mostly nerves), and then strip my pants and jacket off before doing my final drills and strides.
6:25am – I line up one deep from the start line (I’m going for it), and we’re off!

From the gun, Adriana Nelson is gone. She doesn’t even care! She creates a 15 second gap within the first mile and at one point will lead by nearly one full minute. She’s essentially a non-factor in the race (because she leads throughout by a comfortable margin).

Behind her, a pack has formed. It’s difficult to tell exactly how many women are in the lead pack because I’m right on the heels of the leaders, but it feels like 10-20 of us. Des Davilla, Michelle Frey, Stephanie Rothstein-Bruce, Katie McGregor, Ladia Albertson-Junkas, and a few other full-time pros are cruising together comfortably.

Lead pack around mile 3ish...I'm buried on the opposite side of road from where picture was taken.  If you have an eagle eye, you can see one little toe of my salmon-colored New Balance Revlites on the pavement.

I choose to ignore my watch like the last few races, and instead run by feel and based on strategy. The pack rolls through miles 1-5 as a large mass. Then around the 10k mark, there’s a noticeable shift. The pace quickens and I have a split second to decide if I’m going to go with or hang back and wait to make a move later. I decide I’m in this thing to see what I can do, I’m going with the movers. Des Davilla (US Olympian in marathon and Hanson-Brooks Distance Project athlete) is leading the split, Serena Burla (Mizuno-sponsored athlete), Steph Rothstein-Bruce (Davilla's teammate), and myself are part of the pack that’s moving.

Miles 6-9 see our little pack spread a bit. Des is making a move to start reeling in Adriana. Serena is fighting to keep a gap from forming between herself and Des. And I’m sitting on Rena’s hip, refusing to give an inch because I don’t want to find myself in no man’s land running alone. At this point, I have no idea what’s going on behind me.

At what I think is Lemon Drop Hill (an arched bridge) there’s a sign indicating 4.1 miles to go, I climb the hill and pass Rena. She doesn’t respond. This is good. But just as quickly as that happens, on the backside of the hill, Rothstein-Bruce comes cruising by me. NOOOOOO! It’s at this point that I decide I am not running a good 10 mile race. I am finishing this. She starts to roll by me and I pin on to her. She wants to play, I’m feeling confident and like I still have some gas in the tank, so I’m going to play.

What ensues over the next four miles might be the most epic racing moment/memory in my life. Rothstein-Bruce is making move after move to create a gap, but I’m not letting her go. I remember vividly at the 11 mile mark, her GPS beeps indicating 2 miles to go, and she surges hard… I continue to focus on the fact that I have a real shot at the TOP THREE. It motivates me to push on with her.

We cruise down the cobblestones of downtown Duluth and my legs feel ready to buckle when I hit low spots, but I push on. We’re coming up on one more bridge, the last uphill, before we’ll wind our way around the convention center to the finish line. I think to myself, I’ve been strong on the uphills. If I’m going to make a move, this may be my shot to do it. So we hang a sharp left (which also helps because I’m running on her left shoulder which gives me the inside of the turn), and charge the hill. I don’t create much, but I create a gap.

                                                         Around mile 10-11ish

With about a mile to go, it’s now gut-check time. I made the move, and now I have to finish. I wind my way through the streets, riding the tangent like it’s my job, and suddenly can see Davilla. We’re only a few turns from the finish (although it feels like an eternity), and still no sign of Rothstein-Bruce coming on from behind. I don’t know if I have 2 steps or 20 on her, so when I round the final corner it is all out effort, everything that’s left was getting poured into that final dash to the tape.

I cross the line…in third place. What just happened?! A race chaperone comes to inform me that top three need to immediately report for media and drug testing and I’m whisked away still in a daze. Holy crap. The rest of the morning is a blur of hugs, tears, and smiles with family and friends as we all revel in what just happened. 

I know this recent rash of incredible break-thoughs in my running may not last long, so I am cherishing each race that ends with a result like this one did. I think the biggest pinch-me moment from the incredible weekend might have been as I made my way to my seat from the award stage and MEB KEFLEZIGHI congratulates ME on a great run… What the…? I wish I could say I played it cool, but there was absolutely no chance of that. I’m so appreciative of this experience.

                                                         Olympian Meb Keflezighi

Oh, and now that I've finally looked at my splits is pretty crazy how perfectly they match up with my perceptions of what happened during the race (the moves, the surges, etc). Splits:
5:30, 5:32, 5:30, 5:28, 5:23, 5:18, 5:29, 5:32, 5:34, 5:25, 5:22, 5:19, 5:14

8k Quickie in The Hutch

This past weekend was Water Carnival weekend in my hometown of Hutchinson, MN.  Water Carnival weekend is a summer celebration for the town with carnival rides, parades, and all kinds of community activities.  My folks, who are joggers (that's a soft "j"), had the wild idea to sign up for family division of the Hutchinson Water Carnival 5k/8k road race.  It was Father's Day weekend too and I was going to be visiting my family anyway, so I thought what the heck!  Let's do this!

Turns out my parents ended up with babysitting duties so they, and my nieces, were at the race, but as spectators instead of participants.  So much for the family division competition!

My biggest/littlest fans:  Annika & Juia

The field of competitors was small.  The course was flat and mostly an out-and-back along the river.  The weather was sunny, warm, and HUMID.  Off of the start line, a college guy and I separated from the rest of the field pretty quickly.  We were going out straight into a decent head wind and I couldn't decide if I wanted to use my pace buddy as a wind block or take the lead and see if he would come with.  After a little more than a mile, I opted to take the lead.  Separation occurred relatively slowly, but steadily throughout the rest of the 5-mile route.  I felt okay, but the humidity definitely had an effect on me.  It's tough to sweat and keep cool when the air is thick and damp!

Crossed the line in 26:33 (a PR) with relatively even splits throughout.  My pace buddy was about a minute back.  Side note: I got a kick out of hearing that he was "freaked out" that a girl beat him...freaking people out is always fun.  ;)

 

Coming into the finish

Dam That Was Fun!

Dam to Dam 20k - Des Moines, IA - "Iowa's Distance Classic"

                                      Doing my best to photo bomb during the race

Wow. I'm still in a bit of disbelief of how things unfolded. Going into the event I was feeling a little under-whelmed. I had a few days of sluggish and lethargic recovery runs (I think humidity was playing a big part in this!). I doubted my endurance to an extent (even though this race is less than half-marathon distance). And I had seen the elite entry list and there were some heavy hitters in the line-up.

All that being said, I cruised down to Des Moines on Friday afternoon for packet pick-up and race prep. This was my first out-of-town race where I didn't have a wing-man/support person with, so it was oddly quiet and even more nerve-wracking trying to kill time the night before the race. Despite that, I settled in and eventually got a little bit of shut-eye.

Race morning: shuttle buses were making trips to the start from downtown (finish area) from 5am to 5:45am. I opted to get up at 4:30am, eat my ritual LUNA breakfast, and then do a 10 minute/1 mile shake out run before hopping on the bus. For shorter races, this ritual (suggested for 2 hours before race start) is something that my coach has implemented and I've come to enjoy as a part of my pre-race routine.

Hopped on the bus around 5:10am. By the time I made the trip and waited for the disembarking process, it was 6:10am. Just enough time to hit the port-a-potties, do a warm-up with form drills, and get to the line.

The weather was PERFECT. My guess would be that it hovered around 50 degrees at start time with the sun out, but without much heat to the day. It was windy, which wasn't ideal for the first half of the race when you're running out in the middle of no-where on country/county roads, but I've been in worse and I was just thankful that the rain that had been predicted wasn't coming down.

I stacked up in the second row of racers from the start line behind a pack of four hired-gun professionals (full-time runners who flew in from AZ, NM, and other parts of the country for a chance at the prize purse). One of them had raced for Ethopia in past events, and the others were just as accomplished.  Very intimidating. What made matters worse, is that when the gun fired, the four of them took off like missiles! I hate to admit it, but I had a brief though of..."well, looks like I'm racing for top Midwest prize because those ladies are gone!" But I went out strong, no other women came with me and after that initial thought, I began to think all I needed to do was run steady and smart, and hope that one (or more) of the leaders would falter even a little bit.

I never looked at my watch during this race running instead completely by feel (side note: even though it's killing me, I still haven't seen my splits because I haven't had access to my GPS software).

I ran the first 5-6 miles basically alone. There were still no other women around me, and the dudes were stretched out with few and far in between each one.

Around 10k, I spotted the first of the women from the lead pack who had fallen off the pace. At just about the same time, a group of three college dudes came up on me. Fortuitously I had heard them during my warm-up talking about wanting to run 1:10. I recognized them, and immediately decided to go with them for a shot at 1:10. As we packed up, we moved by my female competitor and she had no response.

Just after the 10k is the first of several decent sized hills. As me and my dude pack moved up the first hill, the dudes splintered! So much for that plan!  One surged ahead, and I decided to let him go. I stayed with guy #2, and guy #3 got dropped. From miles 7-9 I started pulling away from guy #2 and saw the second of the lead women who had fallen off pace.

I knew if/when I caught her, I was going to have to either blow by her, or I was going to have to be ready to battle. As I moved up on her, we approached a corner and she glanced back and spotted me. She accelerated slightly, and I opted to get aggressive and go for the blow by and was successful in passing and immediately dropping her.

2 down...2 still out there, about 3 miles to go. My wheels started spinning, mentally and physically. I was feeling good and decided to start letting it rip. Around mile 9 there's a long gradual uphill that leads to the entrance of nice, shaded park/bike path section of the route. I remembered it from the previous year. Aside from the home-stretch which is a gradual uphill, the next couple of miles were going to flatten out and were a great spot to pick up speed. It was at this point in the race last year that I made my move on Erin Moeller: catching her, but not quite having enough juice to finish her off. That was NOT going to happen this year.

Winding my way through the park, I felt strong and like I was gaining speed. I came off of an extended, rounded, blind corner around mile 10 and spotted lead pack female #3. She looked vulnerable as we approached a short, steep uphill climb.  I didn't hesitate on my move this time, I was going for the kill. I moved up on her quickly, passed her, and didn't look back. I was slightly worried that she might be saving some gas for a strong finish, so I tucked my chin, strengthened my resolved, and kicked up my turnover.

I picked off a few dudes along the way those last two miles and eventually made it to Grand Ave: the home stretch. It's a long, straight, gradual grind uphill for about 1/2 mile until the final 1/4 mile where it flattens out.

Coming down the home stretch (thanks to my old college coach, Dick Lee, and his son Brandon for coming out cheering me on!)

As I hammered toward the finish line, I spotted The Big Clock (official race time)...1:09:55, 1:09:56...I had a shot at breaking 1:10?! I gave it the beans and approached the line. I passed the clock 1:09:58...and then saw that there were 5 different mats at the finish line! Which one was the timer in?! NOOOOO! I thought there was a chance I had broken 1:10 and was ecstatic. Turns out I crossed in 1:10:02 (5:38/mile pace) official gun time, but hell, I hunted down three of the four leaders (winner was Ethopian Belainesh Gebre in 1:08:41) and ran the fourth fastest female time in Dam to Dam history. Not too shabby!

                       Women's Champ - Belainesh Gebre...she's real, real fast