I've run this race 6 consecutive years now and PB'd each time. My goal this year was as usual challenging, top 10 finish, to do that I figured I need to run a low 41:xx. My best finish was 16th and best time 42:41, so plan was to drop over a minute.
The week prior to the race the weather stayed amazing, but as expected the snow and ice rolled in just in time to make the course more challenging then just the hills. To make matters worse I've had more changes and challenges this week the I could dream up, mentally I felt exhausted, over tired and stressed. I haven't been able to get my mind 'up' for this race, I changed up my routine and didn't run Friday, because I was working with a plumber fixing our drains, he was here all day getting things working properly again. I ran Saturday and felt flat, no spring that I like to feel going into the race.
Race Day I woke up to freezing rain.
I wasn't eager to get going, but of course I got things together and Dad took me down to the race. I put on my trail shoes and went for a couple km warm up then came back, stripped down to my shorts and put on my racing flats. I wasn't sure what to put on my feet, it was slushy/ snowy and icy, so I figured lets try the flats and try to stay in the gravel and sand for traction.
I did a wee warm up in the flats, and I felt great, legs just came alive putting on these shoes.
The rain stops as the race starts and I'm off, I was in 2nd position for the first bit, I usually have slower starts so I was happy with this one, feeling comfortable at this pace. A couple super speedy guys came by and I was in 4th, (first mile 5:15, I'm pretty sure that is what he said!!). At 2k Lisa Bentley is out on her own cheering us on, a bit later I'm in 5th, well I was running with a small group of guys for the first 4 km, me and another guy dropped the group before the bigger hills and he then dropped me like a bad habit, that left me in 5th for the rest of the race.
Once I got out of the hills I worked on cutting the distance to the 4th place runner, which was Larry Bradley (ShaggyTour) I was catching him slowly, very slowly. With 2.5k to go again I saw Lisa Bentley cheering us on (man she is fast) I was likely 30 seconds or more back at that point, but ran out of race and ended up 6 seconds behind him at the finish. Larry had an outstanding race, running respectfully hard right from the start.
40:43 (almost 2 min PB)
5th place overall
3rd place AG (2nd place AG prize)
I did feel really great today, with better footing maybe I could have run under 40 min. A great way to finish the year off!! Maybe the big guns didn't show up for the race this year but hey, maybe they did and I don't know it
My new ENJ goal is sub 40!!
Nice seeing everyone again!!
These splits are interesting with effort level pretty level for the race.
1 - 3:16
2 - 3:18
3 - 3:58
4 - 4:01
5 - 3:56 (18:30 5k)
6 - 4:29
7 - 4:11
8 - 3:56
9 - 3:44
10 - 3:40 (38:30 10k, thats a 10k PB)
10.8 - 2:16 (3:07 pace)
Race Photos
http://mysportsshooter.zoomphoto.ca/v4/view_event_gallery_search.php?frmIndex=430&submit=Search&event=11806&photog=mysportsshooter
Results
http://chiptimeresults.com/resultsreader.php?y=2009&r=eggnogjogS.htm
You should have seen Robbie-T's face after the race when I just 
If I didn't know you were a nice guy I'd be really scared of you 
Stellar.
