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FLRC Newsletter - June 2004 |
| Tom B. Trail Race | |
Lots of mud, mild rain, and comfortable temps combined with a (too?) fast uphill start made for a surprisingly good race for me. I started out hard with Tim Ingall, Jay Hubisz, and Geoff Hutchison, and tried to use the first downhill/flat stretch for recovery as much as they would let me (which wasn't much). Very quickly, two-time champion Garret Wagner disappeared into the light mist ahead, followed soon after by the steady and no-nonsense power of Tyson Sacco. As the race developed, Tim fell in right behind me and Geoff pulled a half-turn ahead. A few miles in, as Josh Cross came by, Tim made a move, and I decided to try out his pace instead of simply surrendering, still trying to slow the widening gap with Geoff. Tim and I ran together, side-by-side, on what I call the "grassy incline" section, grunting supportively to each other, until I gained a couple meters on some rolling downhills. Finally we hit the technical FLT section, and I opened it up again as I saw Geoff ahead amidst the roots and trees. On the far side, I caught him, but couldn't throw anything else in to actually pass him on the uphill. As we crested it, he stayed strong and steady, and I had to drop back as my legs weakened. For the final few miles, he drew further and further away, until I finally lost all sight of him. At that point, it was fear of Tim behind me that helped me keep the aggressive pace up. As even that incentive weakened, I finally recognized the landmarks identifying the start of the final downhill mud mile. I managed to refocus and, as the mist turned into light rain, I lengthened my stride and went for broke, hoping to at least see Geoff in the distance before the end. As we neared the final turns, I saw his shirt ahead and increased pace again, intent on closing the final 20 m as much as I could. Unfortunately, just as we exited the trail to cross the dirt road to the finish area, I lost my coordination, slipped, and took a hard spill in the gravel, rolling onto my left shoulder to protect my knees and palms. Scrambling up, I sprinted the final meters to finish 10 s behind Geoff, but for a massive 2:30 min PR for this course: 53:58 and 3rd place.
Great course, weather, and finish area—congratulations to Evan as first-time Tom B director, and to all of his volunteers!
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