| January 2003 Newsletter |
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A Hard-Fought Race
Upstate Cross County Meet Championship
I am posting this report more out of my own pleasure in reliving the event than in true instruction, so beware of my self-indulgence. The championship Upstate Cross Country Meet (the 5th in the series) was nervously anticipated because I had to jog the last two miles of the 4th race when my bad hamstring froze up. The day was ridiculously warm, probably in the high 50s and I prefer 40s or even 30s. Because of the hamstring, I decided to change tactics for this race: go out slower behind my main competitors instead of setting a fast pace and trying to wear them out.
So, I tucked in behind Tom Lamme (who had had my number most of this season) and went through the first mile in 6:20, ten to fifteen seconds slower than normal. Nevertheless I felt terrible in that mile and wondered if I would have to drop out. I intended to stay with Tom for at least three miles, but after one and one-half miles he made a couple of little noises that indicated he was feeling just as bad.
Going down the first steep downhill, he slowed to a ridiculous pace and I hurdled by him, only to be passed on the other side by my other main rival, Dave Blake. I then turned my attention to Dave and followed him for the next 1 and one-half miles. We passed the two-mile point in 12:43, an even pace given the course. Every time Dave put a couple feet on me, I would remind myself that this was the last race and I would have to live with the results for a whole year. I also knew that if I finished in front of Tom I could break into the top ten Vets (my X-C goal until I turn 60 in three years), maybe even 8th.
As we neared the top of the big hill on the course, Dave slowed a little and I took advantage and made a push. A short distance later I saw that Rick Cleary was in striking distance. With about a mile to go I caught Rick, but every time I tried to pass we would come to a downhill and Rick would put on an impressive surge.
Finally, on a gentle upgrade, Rick's NYC marathon the week before caught up to him and I got by him. I told him that there were two GVHers right behind and he looked startled -it had been many years since he had seen me that close in a race. Apparently some of the faster vets did not make it to championship day and my 6th place finish, with doubled points in the championship, vaulted me over several others and I also finished 6th in the series.
I think that was my best finish since I last won the Vets championship. The only bittersweet part of the day was that Rick Hoebeke broke my record of three Vet individual championships, but there is no one more deserving. In a remarkable record, no team except High Noon has won the Vets championship for the past eight years, with Jim Bisogni being the other champion. All in all, this was a hard fought race with more than commensurate rewards. I consider it one of my finest, with good tactics and effort.
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