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Christmas Caper 10k

December 18, 2010 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 25 and crisp, sunrise, gorgeous

Comments:
the most incredible experience ever. period.
got there at 7:15, got my number, jogged for 10 minutes or so. did all my drills, while less-cool racers gawked at the weird girl in the orange sweatpants doing high knees like it was her job.
stripped down to leggings and under-armour, and they blew the whistle.
hadn't let myself think about racing this race (wanted it to be just a run), but changed those plans as soon as i felt the adrenaline of the people around me and the earth under me. went out hard for 200 to get out of the pack. settled in, let people pass me. got to the 2.5 k point (had to turn around in order to make it to the 5k mark, then repeat) feeling great, and loved passing people on the way back in. 5k split 24:47, respectable given the messy start and my flat-on-my-knees-and-butt fall on the ice at the 2.5 turn-around. Now, 5k into it, my race was beginning. without even trying, cranked it up a notch or two, and passed people like they were standing still. reached the 7.5k turn-around with almost empty road ahead, except for one over-enthusiastic diva decked out in her best Christmas sweater and a santa hat with the most god-awful bells on it. target. 800 meters later, i could hear her little bell ringing faintly behind me in the least-threatening way possible.
gave the guy in front of me a run for his money too, but finished 100 meters or so behind him because he was really far ahead. felt incredible, especially after passing diva-bell-lady, and really killed that last mile. I don't think the mile mark was placed properly...Although I clocked a reasonable 7:40 on the way out as the first mile, I apparently came home in 6:52 ? I checked my watch passing the mile-to-go mark at 41:44, and crossed the finish line at 47:36...
SO MUCH FUN!!!!!
Also, won the high school girls division, and was the 3rd woman finisher out of 300 total racers. not bad. :) what a great way to start the morning and the break!