For those of you who aren't familiar with my annual reports from this race, it's a small race without much competition but it's one with special meaning. It's also one directed by one of the teachers at Shayla's day care, so there's also a connection there.
Lisa and Shayla came with to this, with Lisa signed up for the walk and Shayla ready for a ride in the stroller. We got there early and found a corner of the building where registration was to play in for a while. At warmup time, I got the stroller out of the car, the girls headed to the playground, and I started running. Then, it pretty much became the usual race preparation for me, with the exception of Shayla helping me put my race shoes on and getting a few pushes from me in the stroller.
At the start, as usual, I got away from the crowd in the first few steps. That was about it for the race, which is actually nice in this case as long as I know it's going to be this way going in because it usually allows me to roll the dice a bit and push for a fast time trial with the knowledge that, if I do blow up, I should still win. However, I got into the first mile a bit and I didn't feel the usual snap in my legs and I also just didn't seem to have it in me mentally to drop the hammer. I was going hard but, physically and mentally, I think I was a bit drained. That was pretty much the story of the race, which is going to mean a short report.
I did continue pushing through a 5:30 (long) mile split, then held it together through mile 2 for a 10:46 (probably about right) 2 mile split. A few times in the third mile, I found the drive to at least try to go hard but I never sustained. Coming around the final corner, I knew I was going to have a good but not great time. As I crossed the line, I heard the timer call out 16:30.
So, that's the story. 1st in 16:30. Nothing spectacular but not a bad run. Just one of those races I'll look back on, shrug, and say it was what it was.
Shayla had fun, though I think she drove Lisa up the wall a bit. Lisa says she's not taking Shayla back again next year but we'll see if she's singing a different tune in 10-11 months.
