Horror Hill 15K Road Race 1:13

Wow , 1:13:?? I figured around 1:20...maybe if it ws a good day around 1:15 ! I read a blog last night after googling "Horror Hill" .... a guy wrote that it should have been called Horror Hills , he also went on about not being happy with his time 1:26 and mentioned running Boston ! So I thought my goal of 1:20 was do able but would be a bit tough.

Weather was 14C , gusty winds with occasional showers! I was deterninted to pace myself in this race , I wanted to do the first 5 k at a 5 min / K pace. When I crossed the 1K mark it was right at the 5:00 mark . From reading budys blog he said that majority of the hills were in the first 8K. Based on this I decided to try to keep a 5 min pace to the 8K mark and then pick it up for the last half of the race . The BIG hill came between 4-5K, it was tough but I am use to running simialr inclines in my 16K loop. At the 8K mark I was 40:30 , a wee bit off pace and a little concerened that I didnt have it in me today ! 8-9 K was a flat strecth so I thaough its do or die and I never looked back. Crossed the 9K at about 44:50 , really turned it on to gain the lost time. Beyond 9K I backed off a little but every K there after to the finish was under 5:00 .
I started passing runners at between the 9 and 10K mark , by the time I made it to the end I passed 4 runners in the last 5K and wasnt passed by anyone ! And yes... its allot more fun to pass that it is to be passed !!!!!! Had a little fun in the last few K , there was a fellow in front of me that I gained on the hills then he streched it out on the flats. I came within a few meters the he streched it out to 20 meters . We went back an forth a few time then at last hill, and it was a big one, with about 300 merters to go I passed him , at the top of the hill with 150m to go he passed me. In the last 100m I passed him again and sprinted to the finish. As I passed him he commented "Way to go" !!!!! I love runners , I love running .... how very cool that was !

Ron.