I was sure the full crew would be there this year. Ths usual excuses didn't seem to apply this year. Yet, besides me, there were only Hammad and Jamey. Let's slow down for a minute.
List of Runners and perhaps excuses...
Oh well. Jamey and Hammad signed up in advance. I didn't. I don't like NYCRUNS so figured I would pay the extra $ 5.00 penalty on sight. I told that to CJR and he told me I was scaring him as he did the same exact thing.
I get there and I pick up my stuff and Jamey's. Say hello to a bunch of people too. Nice...
Hammad's Cardiologist is doing this race as well. Never raced this distance befre. Hammad previewed the course to him but still. I get introduced to him and his family. Apparently he has heard of me. Me?
Avery from the train actually showed up. Wow... She keeps telling me about maybe showing up for races but this time she did. She has her husband and dog here as well. Nice.
We start and as usual I start off hard. I'm with the leaders playing leapfrog with Hellgate Runners. Avery catches up to me. Eventually she leaves me (cool) taking 1st Overall Female. She is chased by 2nd and 3rd Female.
The nice thing about this new course is that you can always see where your competition and/or friends are on the course. The bad thing about this new course is that you can always see where your competition and/or friends are on the course. That being said I see Hammad from time to time. He's been having back issues so it's good to keep an eye on him. I don't see Jamey tho. There could be 2 possible reasons: 1) He's not doing well at all or 2) He's right on my behind. I can noot believe that he is suffering that much to either have dropped or to go slower than Hammad so I gotta believe he is right behind me. Wow...
We circle around the 76 Springfield AP. Now in Upper Alley at the first aid station. Apparently I'm first Strider. Too bad there are no awards for that... Back onto the Green line (Vanderbilt Parkway). Down the hills I know I will have to climb back up as we all know: "What goes down MUST go up".
I see Avery heading back and I tell her that her competition is right on her and she needs to push now!
I get to the parking lot (Turn around) and do just that. I make the turn. Back up the hills for another 1.5 Miles. I go and I see Jamey coming down. He's a little further back than where Jeff was last year. Let's call it at about 30 seconds back. He's moving but he's also suffering. He's red and sweaty and I can see he's suffering. I go.
I see Hammad. Cool. Up the first hill and the second. Slight rest before the 3rd little burp of a hill. Another breath and start the big push down. I chase. I am being chased. I pass but I will not be passed. Someone clearly has the mind to do just that. I won't allow it. I push harder.
Home stretch. About 1/8 of a mile to go. Out of the blue a sound and a vision that was not expected. Lee and LC are on the side cheering me on. I sort of wave and take off even more. Guy still chasing me. No - not today buddy. I finish.
Chaser and I hug it out. I find Avery and congratulate her and hug her. She kept first female. Nice. Lee comes with LC and points out Norma to me. I didn't see and she's right there by the finish. She works at the Childcare of Stepping Stone and was both kids teacher at 1 time. She looks the same which is amazing. Jamey comes down to the finish line. He's a little over 3 minutes behind me. We go back out again. We were going to redo the course but I decided to skip the Springfield/Upper Alley section. We take the green line again. We are the unofficial sweepers. All in all we did another 3 miles. Short Sunday I guess at 8 miles but it is what it is. Lee meanwhile went back home with LC. Donald came and went as well. We stayed for the raffle but nothing this year. Oh well...