Sometimes it is strategy, not speed, that wins the race!

I woke up this morning ready to race and defend my title! This is my 4th time to run this race. The first time I won my age group. The second, I was second overall female (I stupidly encouraged a friend who was faster to enter - LOL). The third time I won overall female. Now, to hold the title (and another membership to the most amazing gym ever).

It has been raining for 3 days, but I'd rather have rain over humidity - I can breathe so much better. The temp had cooled, it was 70. I love the rain but hate when my socks get wet pre-race. Once the gun goes off, if the puddle is along the shortest route, then my foot goes right in it! I haven't done any speed work other than mile and 2 mile repeats and some 3 & 6 mile tempos.. so not 5K ready, but this is a smaller race.

My Kenyan friend wrote this on my FB wall this morning: Congrats on your run today! you tore it like a lioness-:)

I started in a mess of turns and sprinters and went out too fast, but was on pace by a quarter mile in. Then we went downhill and I let my legs fall and hit 6:47. Shortly after a mile, the 5 & 10K split. I assessed where everyone was.. some girls had gone out way too fast (especially if you look at finishing times) for the conditions. One girl was in front of me.. Game On. I spent the next mile closing. I was very focused.. some truck got on the course and was driving up and going to mess up my tangent.. I didn't move like the others or even look at him.. eyes focused on her back and put my arm up with my hand out like a traffic cop LOL Kinda ballsy!! haha!!! Passed some guys that asked for a piggy back ride - still staring at her - I point at her & said, "I'm going for her, otherwise sure!" LOL We make a left and at the last moment, she turned and saw me - damn! I keep closing and next left, she didn't look and I was MUCH closer. We come to make a right on the 2 mile mark, I take the inside of the curve and pass!! A few strides later she surges to pass, she kept the surge as we start to go uphill. I'm not crazy, I just tuck in behind. I started gaining again and tried for pass 2, after I pass she surged again. OK, I see how it is.. we are running into the wind uphill, I'll tuck in.. wasn't actually drafting where I was, but I did conserve. I decided to sucumb to peer pressure and wore my iPod since my coach and almost everyone else was. I was breathing hard and even coughing. My steps were fast. I finally click the iPod to the next song and got my new little "power song" - All These Thing That I've Done by the Killers - it is on the Joan Benoit video and totally gets me going on workouts when I'm tired. It was the next song - YES! I immediately calmed my breathing, took more relaxed strides instead of a shuffle, I was taking nice solid strides with pep and power. I'm sure if there was a shot from the side, you would see totally different form from us now. We take a right turn for the last straight stretch before a stupid curvy finish. I love curves mid race to shake people, but this prevents a kick. I wasn't ready to pass her, but I was up on her and it would be more inconvenient not to. I pass and she of course responds with a surge. My coach and other friends are screaming for me to go with. I don't.. I realize exactly how far we will be sprinting and I know my asthma is giving me a bit of trouble. I'm right on her, but behind. We make a left, I close in, we go a short distance and will have to turn left into a parking lot with an immediate left in the lot and a right on the second parking row and up about the distance of 20 car slots. As we turn left I once again take the inside of the turn and pass and get further ahead on the next immediate left. I surge out and run the tangent to the right which shuts her down and power through the right turn. I have my iPod on, but I can hear her steps and I don't hear them now.. I powered through to the finish - not as hard as I thought I would have to, but a solid kick. I'm beat and actually skip the chip return to walk to my inhaler. The chip guy came to get it from me (nice guy - saved me a walk). I won by 5 seconds!!! She must have given up.

My coach posted this:
She made the move of the day to pass 2nd place on the inside and make her run farther. After that move she was toast and Dusty went by in a blaze of glory!! You would have run well under 22:00 on a better weather day. You rock!

That race was all on strategy and it was a BLAST!!

My friend K got 3rd female!!! I don't think she has placed in overall before (other than masters). My coach won overall men in the 5K and my Kenyan friend won overall in the 10K.