Report from the 5 & 10
The weather Sunday morning dawned clear, sunny, and damn cold after the heat of the summer (42 degrees at our house in Ellis Hollow at 7:30 AM). But by the time the five mile started a little after 9 AM, it was easily in the mid-50s, and it felt warmer in the sun.
This race had the highest number of High Noon runners of any I've done since returning to Ithaca, which made the starting line downright chatty. After a brief delay, Lorrie fired the gun and we were off.
The utterly flat course heads straight downtown on Cayuga Street, all the way to the Commons, and hits the mile point somewhere in there. All I saw was a 1/10 marker, and thinking that was only for the 10 mile, I missed seeing my split, though it was probably in the 5:45 range and I was feeling good and smooth. I continued to feel great through to the second mile, and figuring I'd been confused at the first split, I punched my watch at the 2/10 marker. 10:45? I don't think so! 55 seconds later I saw the 2/5 marker and punched again - 11:40 is more like it.
Around two and a half miles, the good feeling started to desert me, and I felt my stride roughening. Loren Smithline had run with me for a bit before the mile point before dropping back, and the order of the top 10 or so runners hadn't changed much, and then, smooth as silk, Charlie blows by me. I struggle through into Stewart Park, where I'm desperately trying to even out my stride as several other guys go past, including one who'd beaten me at the Groton 5K a few weeks ago. At this point, I've totally lost confidence in my splits, so even though I'm seeing the markers in the park and punching the watch, I don't know what the numbers mean.
Going through Stewart Park hurts, though I get a glance back and realize no one is particularly close, so I turn my attention on finishing. Though I've picked up a sidestitch and some chest tightness by now, I'm back on Cayuga Street and heading for the high school. I push hard, but can't do more than make up a few yards on the next guy, though I manage to sneak across the line in 29:52, just under the coveted 6 minute mile and good enough to win the 30-34 age group. I'll take that.
A few seconds to rest and congratulate Charlie on his 29:10 finish, and then it's back to the road to cheer on John Hylas, breaking 31 minutes by a few hundredths of a second, John Saylor, Loren, Dan, Karen, and everyone else. Much excited milling takes place and then it's over to Cayuga Street to yell for Casey and Bruce and John Whitman and Jeff Juran, who were in 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th at that point (Brian Culley had blown by in first almost before we were even aware the ten milers were coming through, and he didn't seem particularly challenged at the end). If I'm remembering right (haven't seen the results online yet), Casey held on for 5th, though one guy managed to break into the rest of the High Noon pack.
Awards flowed generously to the High Noon contingent in a variety of age groups, and in a nice change from the undistinguished medal, they were gift certificates for the running gear folks who'd set up shop outside the high school cafeteria. I think last week's cherry pie at the Ellis Hollow Runs is still my favorite prize of the year, but the shorts I picked up from this race are a close second, well ahead of the medals from Pud's Run (thanks to John Whitman for picking mine up there) and Groton's 5K.
Timing was ably done by Rick Hoebeke, Jim Bezoni, Herb Engman, and Jon Conrad, and although I gather there was a minor snafu at one point, I don't think the runners realized. Overall, it was a well-run, enjoyable race that was a welcome breath of fresh air after the dismal week that preceded it.
-- Adam Engst
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