Race report

I got in a nice warmup after arriving in Cape Elizabeth.  Just over 3 miles.

Boys up front went out fast, not me.

5:21 for me which was about perfect knowing mile 2 is hills and I needed to average 5:381 pace to get masters course record.

Mile 2 is pretty hilly, managed a 5:38, perfect.

  Mile 3, 5:22, I was in third with no one around. 

Then the wind started, like 20-5 mph wind, shit.  Should have heard me before race, I was whining about the wind.  Being tall and skinny, the wind and I don't get along.  Plus I had no one to help block it.  Shit.

Mile 4 and 5, 5:27, 5:25, and those are pretty much downhill and I was hoping those would be my fastest miles of race.

Mile 6 was the worst, starts at top of hill, then the worst headwind, then goes up another hill.  I knew I had some time banked and that final couple miles the wind would be more behind us, so I pushed, but didn't red line.

Mile 6, 5:36

Mile 7 and 8 I really pushed to make sure I didn't lose anymore time.  5:31, 5:26.  I either stayed on pace or completely failed trying.  I didn't want to count trying to finish fast,  I'm old now.

9 I worked hard again because now I was thinking maybe I could break 55 minutes, and breaking things I like to do.

9 in 5:26. 

10 is gradually uphill until you turn into school last 400 meters.  I worked up the slight grade knowing the final 400 was not going to be fast into the wind, and somewhere around 9.5 I started thinking I'm gonna get the record.  Then I told myself to shut it because I could easily cramp up or hit by a car and not get it. 

Turned into final 400, ya wind sucked, at least it was downhill.

Mile 10, 5:28.  Shit, I wasn't at finish yet.

Another 10 Seconds on my watch before I got to finish, so add a second to every mile I guess.  Damn gps watch.

Either way, finish clock said 54:55,  I pumped my fist,  heck ya, I did it bitches.  One year of training my ass off.  Todd Coffins masters record of 55:19 from 2007 was not easy to get, hats off to Todd.  I had to focus the whole damn time and just nicked it.

Then about 90 seconds later it was a train of Dirigo blue coming in to the finish.

Great job to Chris for winning after Mccarthy and him duked it out side by side the whole way.  It was fun watching them from a distance during the race.

Managed a 3.5+ mile cooldown with a group of most of the top 20. 

Time for track season.  Go Pats.