GT350H

Exercise: Rode with Ronnie N. over to Elkmont, AL to do the Rails to Trails 10k this AM. This is a unique race in that the first half is mostly downhill on roads and the second half is uphill on trails (old, converted railroad track). Temps were ideal. After a 1.33 mile warmup, the race started. I tried to start out conservatively, letting several people stay ahead of me for the first half mile. By the first mile (6:17) I had moved up to 5th place. At this point I was feeling pretty good as the roads started to undulate up and down. Hit the second mile in 6:22, then the third in 6:26 in 4th place where I would stay until the 6 mile mark. At this point I was still on pace to run under 40 minutes (I had told Ronnie before the race that I hoped to break 41 minutes). Just past the 3 mile marker we headed off the roads and made a U-turn and headed back toward the start on the gravel trails. I really made a conscious effort to try to maintain my pace. The uphill terrain made it more difficult and I hit the next 3 miles in 6:49, 6:37, and 6:50. Just past the 6 mile mark Brandon Black passed me (for the 3rd time in the last 3 races). I wound up 5th overall out of 105 finishers (1st in age group) in 40:45 (6:34 per mile average). My fastest 10K of the year, but I 'd still like to get under 40 minutes.

There was a big pack of my running friends that all finished within 2 minutes of each other in the 43-45 minutes range with several setting personal records including Joey Butler, Scott Michael, Eric Fritz, Eric Patterson, Ronnie Nelson, Bud Bowen and Steve Carter. Glen King and Barry Pugh were just behind them.

Tyrone Harris and George Dewitt were the first two finishers (in 34+ and 35+ minutes) with no one to really push them.

Thanks to Whitney Hollingsworth for directing another great race!

Total mileage for the week: 9.55
Total mileage for the month : 16.01