CRIM '07 PRE RACE...

Compared to a few days ago I am feeling great! Most of the head cold is gone and I am looking forward to Saturday, with some trepidation still, but looking forward none-the-less. I think it helped me to look back on my post from last year. Which I will re-post now...

originally posted Aug 29, 2006
NOT JUST ANOTHER 10 MILE RACEFor the last few days every time I attempt to write something of interest here it just ends up being gibberish and I decide to quit. Today I need to get this back into gear, because I need to get my running back in gear. After a week I just as soon forget, I woke to the alarm at 4:45 Saturday morning. Blearry eyed I managed to make it into the bathroom and threw some water on my face, brush my teeth, and stretch my old bones. I got my running clothes on, kissed the kids and headed out the door. Great it's raining! Back into the house for the wind breaker/rain suit. 1st stop coffee, 7-11 big brew and a energy bar. The 30 minutes or so it took me to get to our meeting place was filled with this thought, 'How am I going to get through this?' My food intake for the week was way, way below what it had been and my sleep, well let just say Thomas Edison would have been proud. I was the first to arrive at Big Buck, so I decided to wake some people up, it was after all 5:30AM on Saturday who would still be sleeping? After a while the others arrived and we piled into Christy's Envoy and we were off. The others were Steve, Russ, Matt, Christy and myself. Just in case you were wondering. As we pulled into the YWCA parking lot I could feel the anticipation building in my gut. The 5 minute walk to the registration building was filled with the sites of racers just milling about, warming up, people setting up tents, etc. Registration went without a hitch and it was back to the car to drop off everything I didn't need. As amazed as I was we found some other people from Team in Training and before I knew it we were herding toward the start line. Fast forward to mile 3 and I knew it was going to be a long day. My arms and legs were already tingling and I could almost feel my body burning muscle instead of fuel. Somewhere at mile 4 or 5 I lost myself in a crowd and let Margarita go on without me. I had held her up enough. Thanks for helping me get through those first few miles!!!! From this point on it was just a matter of would I finish not when. 1:52:07 after my chip beeped I crossed the finish line. It was like a scene from a movie. There I am, barely able to walk looking for any familar face. To the left, the right, half hoping to see my family there to surprise me, but alas. I really started to feel sorry for myself until realized how many people were saying way to go nd good for you. Everyone seemed genuninely happy for me. Funny how things happen like that. So that was that, my first Crim, my first big race. Even though I was extemely disapointed in my performance I understand why it happenned and will learn from it. Thanks to everyone for the pep talk before, during and after the race. You folks help me more than you know. Oh and by the way, next year... 1:35:00 here I come!


My plan is a simple one...eat a good pasta dinner tonight, get a good nights rest and run the first 5 miles in 50 minutes. If I can do that I might actually be able to to hit 1:35. Hopefully I will see lots of people I know and those of you who are going, if I don't see ya have a great race. See ya in the beer line!!!

R.P.D.