Re Frigee Eighter today

It turned out to be a silver medal day , did the race at a 4:41 pace. Fastest I have done anything in a couple of years.

Before the race I meet up with Run Manias CGraham and another fellow from Waterloo. The hour went by quickly and before I knew it I was standing at the start/finish! Weather was as good as it gets for February , Sunny with temps around freezing. My race goal was simple do as many 4:30Ks as I could , not go out too fast and try not to tail off at the end.

Passed quiet a few folks in the first couple of Ks and was passed by a guy pushing a running stroller with 2 kids in it.... I was hoping he was an 8K runner! Around 3K I was passed by a fellow that was a really cool older runner . I watched his stride , it was different but supper efficient. It just didn't look like he should be going as fast as he was!!!! I passed the fellow a few times on the uphill and he would pass me on the down or flat ...this went on a few times! While running with him I thought that I would be better off following his pace. After the race I learned that I was following Ron Gehl , the name was so familiar from past race results.

The course was kinda neat , lets just say I ran the "Big Dipper" ....





See what I mean ......

You start at the handle , run around the bowl twice and back up the handle to the finish!!!!!!

By the time I made it around the bowl it was 6km. First 6 were 4:25, 4:27, 4:34, 4:36, 4:48 and 4:36 not too bad. 4-5K was a bit off , I was into a strong head wind but I was still on Ron Gehls heals so I figured I wasn't too badly off. AT 6K we repeated the bowl of the big dipper with a little 1/2 km detour on a residential street. The half K loop was a good way to see the folks that were a couple of hundred meters ahead and behind you! At the 7K mark I saw "Farmer Pat " from Hillsburg , he was less then a 100m behind me but it gave me a bit of a boost because he usually finishes a few minutes ahead of me! At the end of the second loop around the bowl , 11K in Ron Gehl began to pull away and I was passed on the big hill by Farmer Pat. They pulled a hindered or so meters ahead of me but I kept them in my sights hoping I could catch them near the end. 7 to 11 K times were 4:45, 4:37, 4:47 , 4:47 and then 4:43. The last couple of Ks had lots of character , the biggest hill was at 11K , it was a 26 meter climb over 700 meters... usually not a big deal but after running hard for 11K its was tough . I clocked a 5:14 k as a result of the hill. With 1K to go Ron and Pat were about a 100 meters ahead ... my goal was to try to catch them. I pushed hard and closed within about 20 meters but I didn't quiet have enough in the tank .... last 955m ( just shy of a K ) was done in 4:23.

So here is how I finished , Pat and Ron too!

47 443 Ron Gehl 1:00:47 LM60-64 1/4 45 7:36 1:00:43 Kitchener
49 414 Pat Burke 1:00:56 LM45-49 7/12 47 7:37 Hillsburgh
50 460 Ronald Irwin 1:01:02 LMW-200 1/4 48 7:38 1:00:47 Durham

I finished 47th out of 154 runners , 1st in the 180-199lb Clydesdale category!

After the race I meet up with Run Manias Robbie T and CGraham. Both of these guys finished 2nd in their age group and check out these times......
10 510 Rob Tolman 49:34 LM35-39 2/12 10 6:12 49:30 Erin
7 444 Christopher Graham 48:30 LM40-44 2/22 7 6:04 48:25 Toronto
Two very , very , very fast guys!

I also met up with Mike Tickner , he is one very fast trail runner! Chatted with him over a couple of beers last year in Creemore ... check out his times.....
5 555 Mike Tickner 47:52 LM35-39 1/12 5 5:59 47:49 Kitchener

They have a ton of different categories, probably a quarter of those who ran walked away with a medal ... very nice! I look forward to doing this one again next year , I have my eye on breaking an hour!