Riverside Raincross 5k

Here it is, baby! The 2009 Riverside Raincross 5k results.

The race, once again, started fast. There was a group of youngsters who were quite disturbed the first time they tried to cut me off and I boomed out, "Watch where you're running." They quickly fell back and I never saw them again. I can only guess they are still out there, huddled together for fear of me.

It happens.

I cleaned the first mile in 6:10-ish. I don't know the exact time, I was running. Don't judge me.

Yeah, that was way, way, way too fast.

So, being the expert runner that I am (i.e. too tired to continue at that pace), I dropped the next mile down to 8:30-ish. This is the mile where they throw that really big, suicide hill in your way and then laugh. Oh, they laugh. Don't tell me they don't.

I've been training on hills so I was ok on it, but we lost many a good runner there, kicking and cursing their treadmills, while screaming for Hermes to deliver them.

Hermes also laughed.

After that, the race lets you coast downhill through the third mile, until about 500 yards from the finish, when, just for repeat giggles, they throw that second hill in your path. You can almost see the race organizers' evil grin as they placed the Mile 3 marker right at the foot of this last hill.

Ooo, those bad, bad organizers, with their black cloak and their twirled mustacheos!

I maintained a sub-8ish mile pace (STOP JUDGING ME) through this, and powered the hill. I thought I was going to pass one more runner, but his shapely hips and thighs managed a final burst of youthful speed and he managed a two second margin. I had no kick whatsoever to answer with, and really didn't care. Contrary to popular belief, I'm more interested in competition in my division, than giving some 15-year old the heave-ho at the end of a long struggle.

Shut up, it's true because it's on my blog.

Here's the reward:

Time: 22:16
Overall: 45th of 449
Division (35-39): 3rd (medal me baby!)

Now, what's interesting about this is last year, I managed 2nd in my age division (30-34) with a worse time. So, either the older competition is getting stiffer (and with viagra readily available, who can't imagine that) or . . . I don't know. Essentially, the older competition was just faster.

If you feel the need of reliving them, here are the links to the past two races. It goes like this:

2007 Time: 24:14
2008 Time: 23:52