Tewksbury 5 Miler Results and RR

Tewksbury 5 miler Results Page

Get there early enough to register and get a warmup run in.
Ed and I ran for about 9 minutes and we stopped to get directions for the 1st part of the run. The warmup really didn’t give me much confidence. I felt like I could possibly have a big stitch on my left side just waiting for me.

We got our group photo, Claudia, Bob, Ed and I. Then got into the lineup. I said to Bob, “I think I’m going to be following your lead here.” He says, “I was going to try and follow your lead”. Ha! So we talk about how it might be best if we don’t go out too hot at the beginning, it sounds like there are some serious hills later in the race. He also has us line up closer to the front so we don’t have to fight through as much traffic at the start. Good thinkin.

We are on grass for the first mile and there is a bit of a hill. I remembered to get my arms going into the hill and it seemed to make a difference. On the downhill, which typically has been a problem for me, I decided to just go for it and take everything I can from it. I got to the pavement and the 1 mile maker in 7:33. At which point I was thinking, can I hold this for 5 miles? There are hills later in the course…. I figure I may as well keep rolling with what I’ve got and see what happens.

On the way to mile 2, I start to pass some people, I figure they probably started out too quickly and are falling off a bit…. I finish mile 2 on 6:51 pace. Oh boy… what am I doing to myself? The hill has got to be starting soon.

Sure enough, the hill begins. I have no idea how long this hill is. Which probably worked to my advantage, because I kept telling myself “it’s gotta end soon”. I’ve got 2 people in my sights in front of me. A Younger kid (14 year old it turns out) and a woman about my age (37). I have to admit as that hill kept going, I was thinking that this kid is going to lose it. No reason other than wishful thinking on my part I guess. Neither of them gave an inch.

Finally at the top, not much road running left, I missed the 3 mile marker, so I didn’t get to see what that split was. (it was 7:53). Next thing we are back running on grass. I’m closing in on the woman ahead of me and she’s gaining on the kid. There is nobody else in sight ahead of them but I really wasn’t able to look much. I was too focused on where to place my feet.

Finally I’ve caught her and we both pass the kid not far from mile 4. (7:15).
Now I’m thinking what’s next? Am I going to be side by side with her the whole way in? Crazy foot race to the finish? No sooner do I think this and we’ve got a good downhill ahead of us. I let loose and I pull away. Footing was always a concern but it turns out I haven’t seen the worst of the course yet.

At the bottom of the hill you enter the woods and have to cross 2 small foot bridges. Large rocks were everywhere! There is no running path at all. I ran through this section as if I were running tires, but harder. Because not only were you trying to keep your feet light, your feet were landing at all sorts of crazy angles. I’m fortunate that I didn’t wipe out. A soft landing would have been unlikely.

Back out onto the grass and into the finish (7:09). 36:30.9
Whew!
I stand off to the side and the next guy to come in walks right over to me and says “Are you in the 50 and over group”. LOL I love it. I do have my beard grown in and yes, more grey than ever… I tell him, “No Sir, I think you’ve got the division won”. He then goes on to tell me that ever since I passed him on the start of the big hill he hasn’t let me out of his sights. Wow. I decide that I may as well tell him he’s been chasing down a 38 year old for the last 3 miles. He apologizes, I laugh and tell him It’s no big deal, I just thought he’d like to know. I should have asked if I happened to pull him into a much faster race than he typically runs. Ha ha.

(click picture for larger image)

Something I guess I need to keep track of moving forward, I think I may have pushed myself into a bit of exercise induced asthma. It wasn’t constricting but I was coughing for the next 3 hours.

We stay until all 4 of us are finished. Then Genine and I take off to go for a bike ride. We will meet them all later at Oktoberfest in High Bridge.

When I get to Oktoberfest Bob tells me that he picked up my award for me. It would seem that I won my division. I figure I must have been the only one in the division, kind of like my race in Florida. Wasn’t exactly true in this case but I didn’t know that until the results were posted on Monday.

13th of 140 Overall
1/14 in my age group.
12/94 Male

Run/Bike/ Beer with friends is a pretty awesome triathlon.
Here are the rest of the pictures