SRRC Special -- Sun. Dec. 19

Emailed list on Sat p.m. (as I'd mentioned to Landry at Forest Park) that I was doing a Quabbin run at 10:30 -- went to DnD just in case, and found Nick D and one other (new) lad there, both up for the Q run. Noone else showed, so we headed for the Quabbin HQ; waited until 10:30, then headed off. New lad, John, is a BHS freshman, and hasn't done much running before but plays soccer (football?). Pace is a gentle one, and slower as we go up the hill, which leaves me a bit chilly in shorts (they're both wearing Santa hats), but now worries. Keep steady as far as Enfield lookout, then I make a portapotty stop, and then get to run fast a bit to catch up. Keep steady as far as the Dike, and John picks up into a sprint to the end marker --he wins! but then flakes out flat on the ground. They rest a bit while I jog, then we head back. Nick seems okay, but I'm a bit worried about John; we go past one hour at 6.6 miles or so, his first time to be running for that long. Once we get to seven miles, decide to go on ahead and get my car and meet them back up at the tower. Pick up pace dramatically, all the way up to the roundabout; skip going up to the tower, and chug on down the hill and across the dam to the car, ending up thus:

Time: 1:35:42
Distance: 11.35 miles
Pace: 8:26s

Comment: Strongly negative split there, with sub-7:00s for the last two plus miles. Straight into car and drive the long way round and up the hill, catching the lads as they head down having been up to the tower. Drop them back at their car before hurrying off to chauffeur R, then sleep a bit after eating. Useful if weird run. Nice course, and definitely should be a Swiftie race course!