2014 Li'l Rhody Runaround

So I was hoping for a PR, and I got it!  Really happy with my time this year.  So here are my results:

2012 -    #144 of 285 in 1:12
2013 -    #141 of 414 in 1:07

2014 -    #69 of 300+ in 1:02

I can say that I did everything right during the race.  I've worked the pre-registration table the last couple of years, and I really enjoy it.  I get to put a face to familiar names, greet all my registered friends, and hopefully get everyone pumped for a great race.  Best time, and hectic as Hell, but I get pumped for the race doing this!

WTAC'er and friend Lynne R. joined me at the pre-reg table today, and we had a great time freezing our asses off, just out of the range of warmth from the fires going at either end of the cabin.  It's right there, a few feet away, and my toes were numb!

One side of the cabin...

...and the other!  You're missing out if you missed this!!!

We got runners checked in, and everything went really smoothly.  If you've never worked a race before, there's a LOT that goes into putting on a good one, and I think we pull it off nicely!  

WTAC crew Polly, Tommy and Shara!

So suddenly it's 10:50 (race at 11), and I'm still in jeans and a jacket, checking people in (202 pre-registered runners), haven't changed, and have to hit the woods for a pit stop.  No warmup run, no time, just go!  I quickly get coverage for the table and do a quick change at my truck (no photos, sorry), and trot over to the woods to TCB, and run right into a pit that was filled in with leaves, smashing my knee and shin and ouch.  Just OW, I ate it big time...I hobbled over to the woods and took care of things, then slowly jogged with friend Don over to the start...and oh shit, I didn't take a gel or hydrate or anything.  I opted to skip a handheld as it's only 8 miles (did I just really say that???).

Ran into Ben N. as I approached the line, to my surprise.  We're drawing some serious talent for this race, and it'll show in the results once they're posted, just based on the times.  Chatted for a moment with Ben, and wished some friends in the first few rows luck, and lined up in the front again, second week in a row!  Ha!

The start!  Photo by Jana!!!  Who's that sketchy dude on the end?  Me!

This race traditionally has a very fast start, as it's almost a mile on dirt road before a bottleneck at the first singletrack trail section, and everyone wants a place up front.  I went out fast as well, at a low 6 pace and settled into a mid-7 for the first two miles.  I got passed at the beginning, but after we hit the trails, I started passing runners.  Miles 3-7? I worked hard, passed a lot of people on the uphill stretches, and finished really well.  I didn't look at my watch at all until I got to the final, brief road section toward the finish, and realized I was gonna crush my PR, but not quite get a sub-1 hour time.  Next year though!  Besides, dropping 5 minutes off an 8-mile trail race PR is pretty friggin' good.  I did a couple things right during the race:

1.  Lined up in front.  Didn't screw myself before the race started.

2.  Skipped carrying anything, and just grabbed a water at the halfway point.

3.  Didn't get lulled into following the runner in front of me.  Don't run somebody else's race, as a runner aptly put it today.  I passed people, sometimes uncomfortably, as soon as I started to settle in behind somebody, and it worked.  If you only run road races, you won't get this at all...

4.  Went out fast and finished fast.

5. Shed an extra layer right before the start.

What I did wrong?  Nothing.  I ran pre-reg. for the club and did my best afterward, and PR'd by a bunch.  No regrets here!

As the race played out, the really fast dudes set a blistering pace, and local hellion Mike Galoob took the win and new CR at a 44:34?  Just WOW.  Greg, Garvin, Ryan C., Jonny, Muddy, Ben, Bob, Steve, etc. all destroyed the course, along with Jeff, Matthew, Jonny E., Beth, Faith, Don, Lynne and a number of friends and fellow runners who PR'd today.  Congrats to all who got out there on a cold November morning, it turned out to be perfect for a race!

The post-race was awesome as well, lots of chatting and warming by the fire, and a great job by Polly, Jana, and everyone else who was helping with the soup and refreshments.  Lots of props also to Jeff, Steve, Joe, Muddy, Mike B., FiveK, Shara, Jana, Beth E., Kevin M., Seth, Kate, the Grays, and everyone else who helped out at this race.  It takes a lot to put on one of these smoothly, and I think it went really well, with over 300 runners taking the plunge.  Another great race day in New England!!!