Clapp Memorial Monster Dash -- Oct. 30

After a late night at the office I wasn't exactly up with the lark, but I made it to the library by 9 to offer my help. Set up was all done, but Jennifer W found me a couple of jobs to do, including directing parking traffic. Nick D arrived in good time and we chatted a bit; then Ken, with family; plus lots of others -- a good turn out, over 100 runners and loads of kids for the mini-runs. Got someone to take over for me at traffic point, and headed off for a warm up. Got just over 1.5 miles in, then it was time to go (again nearly missed the start!). Joined F and R briefly, then headed to the front to join Bill: decided I was going to try and run with him for the first mile if I could, just to see what it felt like. . .

Yeah, not such a bright idea. On his shoulder after the first 50 yards, as we head from the library out to the common--no traffic control, so it's a bit interesting! --but then as we head to the other end of the common, it's just too much. Fade back on the corner and two highschoolers pass by; managed Bill's pace for about 1/4 of a mile. Ouf.

Once round the common, we head down Jabish, and I'm aiming to keep close, but as we pass the baseball fields, another guy (older, chap who'd groused about the start time being late; clearly a bit over keen) passes me (unwashed! why do people do that?!). That was the story, place wise, as I stayed in 5th the whole way through. Along Jensen I'm running out of energy, but baseline is solid enough. Overall, it's Bill and one of the HSers who're pulling away, the other three of us staying in relative place. Once we hit 181 at the cemetery, the uphill starts to affect the rear of the young lads, and guy in front of me and I start to gain on him. By the end, guy in front has passed him, and I've closed up, but no room to catch him before the end.

No sense of the overall time (digivice had run out of battery!), but Bill had indeed won with a sub-18:00 time. He and I then go back to meet family members: him, his mother, and me, R. Then run back up with R encouraging him as he flails in his melodramatic way, till he takes off like a rocket with about 400 yards to go~amazing! Then, true to form, he falls spectacularly in the leaves on the last corner. Such a joker -- he ends up just over 34 mins.

It was as very social and pleasant event, with nice eats and chats to finish up. When the results were finally posted, my time was pretty solid, all things considered:

Time: 19:23
Distance: 3.1 miles
Pace: 6:14s

Comments: The speed work was a bit of a shock, and left me sore the next couple of days. Overall, I covered 5 miles in about 38 minutes, so an easy day mileage-wise.