We line up at the start and can't really hear anything the announcer is saying. All of the sudden the gun fires. Somewhat suddenly, we're off. I see my friend and colleague Rob (a seasoned marathoner fresh off a BQ) in 5th place out of the chute. He's escaping me, but I focus on slowly reeling him in over the first mile.
Mile 1, 6:08. That was a fast first mile, I comment to Rob. Yep, but not as fast as them, he points to the leaders. There's no hope of catching them.
Mile 2 feels good and I'm contemplating my strategy for the remainder of the race. Miles 3, 4, and 5 will be tough, I think. I'd better budget my effort. I'm (we're) slowing down now, 6:29.
We cross a couple hills, slowing down further. Rob is slipping away. I'm starting to struggle. I focus on breathing. Mile 3, 6:40.
Alright, what am I doing out here, I think. Will I have to throw in the towel? No, I'll just slow a bit. More hills. Rob slips further away. Mile 4, 6:50.
I hear footsteps behind me. I'm about to be passed. Somewhat to my surprise, I accelerate on a slight dip in the road and I don't think the heel biter can hang. I'm catching up with Rob. Mile 5, 6:45.
I'm over the hump. I'm feeling pretty miserable, but I know the end's in sight. I'm now back within a few steps of Rob. I can't wait til this is over, I tell him. Go for it, he says. I pick it up slightly and pass him. Mile 6, 6:25.
The last .2 is a blur. I cross the line in 40:34 according to my watch, although I may have waited a few seconds to stop my watch in my breathlessness. I got my first age group award (2nd M 20-29) and finished 5th overall. Plus it's a 60 second PR on my 10k time to date. Pretty good day, I'd say. Considering I haven't really put in any serious running for the past two years, I'm pretty stoked.
Total for today was 7.5 in about 50:00. Puts me at 26 (?) for the week. A good end to a tough week.
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