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Biwabik 4th of July 5K

July 4, 2017 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 70, moderately humid but not bad

Comments:
Up early. Felt OK. Slept OK enough. Had some coffee (last day of low-grade!) then did some stretches and glutes and ab activation, then hit the road.

15 minute drive to little Biwabik, where we used to go skiing when I was a kid. According to Tammy (my friend since grade school and coaching client), this was home to a solid Fourth of July race, so that was the order of the morning.

Got there under sunny skies and warm temps already. The course started on a bike path - the Mesabi Trail (same I'd run on 15 miles west, in Eveleth)...right along the highway. And it climbed uphil! Ugh!

I was the first one there (besides workers setting up), and I set off for my warm-up.

Quarter mile of flat, then about 600m of gradual uphill, then about a half-mile of even more down! The path ran up and along the highway, then veered right, then sharp, switchback left, away from the road, and along a lake....then back along the highway, below it.

From there, it ran through a boat launch parking lot, then veered under the highway, north, then uphill, and another sharp switch, to the half-way turnaround. Yeesh, legit road course!

Did stretches and drills there, then ran back.

I was under no dillusions of victory today. The past couple years a young HS (and now college) guy showed up. He ran 16:2x on this course a year ago! Woah. And it looked like he was here, bouncing around in his St Olap college uniform (ruh-really, bruh?)

Tammy finally arrived. I was hoping we could do some stride coaching, but I'd gotten the feeling she was on full overload the past week+: first a major house move (that concluded just a couple days ago), then the in-laws in town. I also finally met her husband, who's like seriously mid-50s (and looks possibly older!). If he worked out and cut carbs, he'd keep up with her. :-)

Countdown then the gun. I got out alright, with "Stolaf" way out front by the time we hit the uphill, and two HS-looking kids trailing, with me. Monnnnnnty surprised me by standing atop the hill, cheering, which was nice.

I felt GOOD in that first mile! Must've been the 4 Marshmallows I pounded, pre-run, for "breakfast" (#strategiccarbs). Long downhill that was perfect to pound, then the sharp switches, which cut the momentum. Marked mile was 5:15 (but I think Suunot had it farther, in 5:22). "Awesome!" I thought, feeling good, and shit, maybe I'd sneak under 17 afterall!

Rolled through the boat launch, where my mom, Donna and Raini were cheering, then under the bridge and up the hill.

I HATE 180 turns, let alone one uphill, but i was glad to see it and get it behind us. Pounded down hill.

I'd overtaken HS kid #1 around the mile, but #2 and Stolaf were way up there. I knew I wasn't THAT "good feeling", because I wasn't catching them.

Still felt good rolling down, past Tammy (who was F2 behind a HS girl), then through the boatramp again, but I began to feel the grindy ups, as we came back on the rest of the field.

The steep switch up REALLY started the sucking (and slowing), but I did my best to push: Tall, Forward, PULL behind, arch...

HS #2 was in sight, but I wasn't gaining. As I finally crested and hit the down, past Monnnnty once more, I gained a bit but not enough. Hit the flat, had a reasonable "kick", and finished in 17:38.

PAINFUL! But pretty "fun". Tammy ran just over 21 (and needs to drive her knee-lift her heel more).

Post-race, got some pics taken of us with mom, then she and I ran a two-mile cooldown. Still ongoing surreality: my 4th grade "girlfriend", now my coaching client and running together! Fun stuff. She asked about WSER ("Do you KNOW Billy Yang??"), which was fun.

We parted ways, then I headed straight to Eveleth to catch most of the parade, spend last bits of time with family, eat "Fried Bread", then hit the road.

Good day, good running.