Jim's Guts

Race report - Firecracker 5000…

This morning was the 25^th Annual Firecracker 5000 (I'm pretty sure it was my 10^th or so, I skip if the weather is really bad) and after "Twilight" the may be the toughest sporting event I do all year. It's not the distance, it's just a 5k, and while the course is challenging (it's around the Seattle Center with a fair amount of elevation gain) that's not the tough part. It's the start time – 11:55pm. It's a challenge to get your mind, body, and nutrition right to run at midnight. Normally race mornings follow a pretty set pattern, but it's hard to follow that when you've got to get a full workday in beforehand. The other part is that you know it's coming, so you get the normal pre-run jitters but rather than have them for a couple of hours you get them all day.

I think I did okay nutritionally, having a really good pasta "dinner" around 3pm, then the L&T and I went to the Storm game (we're half-season, season ticketholders – Storm won 84-71) which was a good way to pass the time. I even did a little addition carbo loading while there with a Hefe Weizen (had to, we're 4-0 when I have a beer during the game, I'm not breaking that streak). After dropping the L&T home and putzing around home for a bit I headed back down to Memorial Stadium about 10:45pm for check in. I figured it would be a good night when even with the crowd (there were probably 1,000 runners) there was no line! Woohoo!

The run got started right on time (a very rare occurrence) and off we went for 2 laps around the Seattle Center. One of the things I really like about this race is the atmosphere, among the runners that normal buzz is amplified by a shared feeling of "what are we doing running at midnight". Along the course drivers honk and shout encouragements, and folks at local watering holes stand on the sidewalks to give high-fives. It's probably the vibe of the event that keeps me coming back.

As for the nuts and bolts, not very good actually – Official results had me at 30:51 (I had 30:49) 59^th out of 79 in my division. The was pretty warm and humid to run in and my pace was obviously down from previous events, but I still had a good time which in the end is all that really matters.

Why I don't do triathlons...

...Reason #268. I will readily admit that the vast majority of my reasons for not doing Tri's are swim related (the L&T once made the very astute observation that I’d rather be ON the water [surfing, sailing] then IN the water [swimming, diving]). That said the one little “intro” Tri that I did only had like 50 or so people in the water and I still got beat up.

Don’t believe me? Watch the “training” video below for proof…

h/t to the Athena Diaries

What’s good in sports…

I'll see Mr. Jones' great Central WA softball find, and raise him with a little San Diego Charger love (warning, it's liable to get a little dusty reading this one too).

Good coaching…

Thanks to the L&T for forwarding me this link to this interview of the CycleU Director Sportif, and one of my favorite coaches, Craig Undem. It's a great piece on accelerating your training by doing more hills (advice I'm trying to put into action). Besides being an excellent coach Craig's great attitude and his firm belief in the power of the mind and the effects of positive thinking is contagious and something I'm striving to learn. As I was typing this up, the CycleU newsletter arrived and I thought I'd share this bit from his "From the Dean" column;

"I remember when I first started racing I would always keep my expectations low, after all there are so many things that can happen in a race: flat tire, someone crashing me out, just not feeling it, better competition showing up from out of town... So many variables, why get your hopes up?

"I'll tell you why. Because you have to! There is no power in lowering the bar just so your precious ego won't get hurt if you fail. There is no energy to kick ass from mediocre goals that don't fully challenge you to be all you can be. There is so much more you can do if you put yourself on the line and go after a big challenge instead of shooting fish a barrel."

Not much I can add to that, except maybe Twilight here I come…

Golf season is now open…

I really enjoy playing golf. I don't get to play as often as I would like because of the weather and other time commitments, but it's always great when I do get the chance. Well yesterday was one of those chances, and so with three of my very dear friends – Mr. Jones, Timmah, and Fina – I officially opened my 2008 Golf season. We teed it up at Lynnwood Golf Course, a nice par 65 that even though it's located in a very suburban setting, is actually quite pretty and serene. It's also nice because it's relatively flat which means it's eminently walkable.

The jokes were the same as they are every golf outing (which at times made me feel a little bad for Fina, our [that is to say Jones, Timmah, and I] antics are funny to us, we laugh every time, but I doubt they were quite as amusing to her), and I thought we all played okay. Fina, who is pretty new to golf, came within a couple of inches of at least to par holes, and my new irons and fairway woods seemed to help my normally erratic play (I was still erratic, just closer to the hole). All in all a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

 

That’s why they do it…

First and most importantly congratulations to Kansas for winning the NCAA Div I Men's Basketball Championship (and to Timmy for wining our friendly, in no way gambling [because that would be illegal], pool). It was a great finish to a very good tournament, and it answered a question for some – Why, many wonder, when a team is behind, do they start fouling the other team. Well, because sometimes the team that's ahead can't shoot free throws. That was the case for Memphis tonight who had several chances to put the game away but then went 1 -5 from the "charity strip". The Jayhawks were well coached and played smart basketball in the closing minutes of the game and in overtime, and deserved the title.

Local girl makes GREAT!

Gotta give a shout out to Kirkland's Jennie Reed who won the World Championship keirin title in Manchester, GB on Sunday. Though she's now living in Southern California (there aren't any keirin races up here), she got her start in track cycling out at the velodrome in Marymoor Park. Congratulations Jennie!!

Basketball can be a cruel sport…

The NCAA Div I Men's Basketball tournament started yesterday, and while there were some good games (Duke winning by 1 point), it would be hard to beat a couple of today's games. Two games (both in Orlando, man did they get their money's worth today!) went into overtime with the underdog winning I the last seconds. Both Western Kentucky and University of San Diego won with last second shots that crushed the favorites in both games. And the best part is that at least one of them will be playing next weekend. On the other hand the favorites (Drake and Connecticut [sorry Drew]) saw their season come to an end and the sinking of a last second shot. I think it was especially hard on UConn, as they fought back from 11 points down early in the second half, sent the game to OT, and seemed to have it in hand only to lose on a semi-heave. That's why I watch.

Speaking of watching – Thank God for teh interwebs!! Through the miracle of modern technology I was able to watch both games on my laptop at work. It was kind of background for most of the day, but I will admit to pretty much just watching the last 10 minutes of the USD v. UConn game.

To walkers at 5k, 10k, etc…

Two very important points need to be made before I go further –

1 – I think it's fantastic when anyone goes out and does any distance at any speed. As far as I'm concerned, unless you're one of the pros there's no difference between any of us regardless of the speed at which we finish the course. This is not an indictment of people who walk, which leads me to my second point.
2 – There are times during some 5k's and 10k's when I walk. Again, this isn't about speed, it's about common courtesy, and when I have to walk on the route I follow these guidelines myself.

Having said, and meant, all of the above; if you walk, and by "walk" I mean that you're at the start planning to walk the whole course with no intent to run, but if you walk at these types of events, would you please try and follow some simple rules which will make everyone's day a bit more pleasant;

– If the event you're participating in has "flights" or "seeding" try to respect that. It's really not done so that you'll finish even later than the pros, it's so that those who are trying to run, maybe for an age group prize, or maybe just a personal best, but it gives those people a chance to realize their goals too.

– If for some reason you just have to start in the first wave, or with the 7 minute per mile folks, please try to stay to the edge of the route. You know you're not going to run there's no reason to be in the middle of the street in the middle of the pack. At that point you just become an obstacle.

– The subset of that is not to walk 5 abreast. It's great that you're all together, and shared suffering is one of the really cool things about group events like these, but again you become an obstacle for others to try and get around.

– If you ignore both of those and just decide that you've paid your fee and that entitles you to walk in the middle of the road from the front, then don't be angry when you get bumped and jostled and cut off. See the thing is, I paid my entry too, and I followed the event organizers' recommendations and I'm trying to run. There's a critical mass of bodies trying to fit into a small space, and you've become a very slow fish in a very fast tide. You're going to get bumped. I'm sorry, I'm not aiming for you, but honestly, I don't usually feel too bad about it either.

With that off my chest, the L&T and I did the annual St. Patrick's Day Dash this morning and with the exception of trying to dodge the reasons for my rant above, we had a good time. The weather wasn't great, but it wasn't raining so that was nice. This is a point to point run, with the start at the Seattle Center and the finish near Seahawks Stadium so you park at the finish and bus to the start. The line for those buses was unbelievable, it took us about 45 minutes just to board, but had the benefit of getting off the bus and starting within 5 minutes. Thanks to my offseason workouts (InCycle rocks!) my time was the best I've done in a long while (splits of 9.22 / 9.04 / 10.14 [I'm not sure what happened there]). After the run it was breakfast at the Blue Star Café, which we've decided to tell everyone is the worst place for breakfast in Seattle. It's horrible, and you should never eat there which will make it much easier for us to get a table…

Rooting for the Patriots…

There's an old adage that "all politics is local" and I think that applies to sports just as much. You root for teams based on connections, and based on that, as much as I dislike dynasties, I'll be rooting for the Patriots. Why? Two reasons – Eckel and Belichick.

While certainly not the best student (he was the Class of 2005's "Anchor Man", finishing last in his class) Kyle Eckel was an absolute beast at Navy, and as a fullback was instrumental in returning Navy Football. In addition to being named the Army Navy game MVP twice he is among the all-time leaders in carries, yards, and touchdowns. He was signed to the Patriots' active roster in October of 2007, and in addition to seeing some playing time with the offense has had a very good year with special teams.

As for Belichick, his ties with Navy football go back over 50 years. Bill is the son of legendary Navy coach Steve Belichick. Coach Belichick was involved with the Naval Academy for 50 (yes, that's correct, Five Zero years) including 33 years as an assistant football coach and professor of physical education. Bill has in the past discussed his connection with the USNA and speaks fondly of his time learning the game by watching his father in Annapolis, and in 2006 moved his family's historic football book collection to the Naval Academy.

Tomorrow, I'm a Patriots fan.

The worst two weeks…

Between the last playoff game and the Super Bowl there are two weeks. Two weeks of interviews, press conferences, practices, pundits, and buildup to the biggest football game of the season. I used to read about the teams and the game during those two weeks, but it was never a big deal to me. That changed in January of 2006…

Growing up I wasn't a big football fan, instead it was mostly baseball. Still living in Northern California my parents, and by extension I, followed and rooted for the San Francisco 49er's. The 49er's won Super Bowl XVI in 1982, which was nice, but nothing too exciting. Years and events passed, and I'd watch a game if it was on and usually watched the Super Bowl, but it still wasn't something I was passionate about. Then I met the L&T who was passionate about football and in particular "her" Seattle Seahawks. She was a fan, so I became a fan (which wasn't easy back in those days because the team wasn't always that good). In 2002 I took it to the next level join 4 of the best guys on the planet

The 2005/2006 Seattle Seahawks' season was a magical thing to be a part of. By finishing the regular season 13-3 (including a meaningless week 17 loss at Green Bay) the Seahawks had secured the #1 seed in the NFC and the road to the Super Bowl would go through Seattle, and the 5 of us would be there to watch it. After the bye week, Seattle opened the post-season beating Washington 20-10 and the next week beat the Carolina Panthers to win the NFC and the right to go to the Super Bowl.

And thus begun two of the most fun (and probably least productive) weeks I've ever had as a sports fan. When I was home, the NFL channel was always on, away from home there was a ton of Seahawks talk, the web the sites that I frequent were all talking about the game. It was fantastic! Media day, team practices, interviews with players on NFL Total Access, features on the team, replays of all our games, as well as planning to go to Vegas to watch the game. It was just fun to be a Seahawks' fan.

The problem is, now that I've experienced it once, it's hard to watch all the same stuff, but about a different team. Sure, I'll read the articles, and I'll watch the game, but unlike all those years before 2006, now I know what I'm missing…

Scouting Utah…

Like Navy, the Utes come into Thursday's Poinsettia Bowl at 8–4 (5–3 in the Mountain West), and like Navy this is their 5^th straight bowl trip (records for both schools). Similar to Navy's new head coach Ken Niumatalolo whose first game will be the Poinsettia Bowl, 2^nd year Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham was an assistant coach with the Utes before taking over for a departing Urban Meyers just before the 2005 Emerald Bowl (which Utah won 38–10 over Georgia Tech). 

In a year where Navy had trouble stopping just about everyone (99^th in total defense) they face good Utah offense (stats below) that ranks 47^th matched with a Utes defense ranked 15^th in total defense. The good news is that Utah's weakness seems to be the run, which is obviously a great thing for Navy.

If Navy can play "Navy Football" – Lots of rushes (they're 1^st), maximize their time of possession, minimize both play mistakes (-1 in turnovers) and mental mistakes (1^st in both fewest penalties and penalty yards/game) – Then I think they got a good shot at betting a good, and very hot Utah team (the Utes have won 9 of their last 10).

Stats –
Offense               Navy             Utah

Scoring                479               306
PPG                     39.9              25.5

Rushing Yards      4,218            1,964 
Avg / Game         351               163.7
Avg / Attmpt       5.7                4
Rush TDs             51                 16

Passing Yards      1,117             2,390
Att-Comp-Int       122-67-4        374-226-12
Pass TDs              7                  17

Defense                Navy           Utah

Scoring                  438             187
PPG                       36.5            15.6

Rushing Yards        2,072          1,560
Avg / Game           172.7          130.0
Avg / Attmpt         4.2              3.6
Rush TDs               24               12

Passing Yards        3,186           2,273
Att-Comp-Int         372-257-9    414-209-16
Pass TDs               31                7

38 – 3!

Great Navy win. Reggie Campbell with a rushing TD and a 98 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, then directs the band in the playing of the alma mater. Great win. San Diego here we come…

*The* Rivalry…

Look, I know everyone thinks that whatever their school plays for is the most important rivalry going, be it for the "Apple Cup", "The Axe", or the "Old Oaken Bucket". Truth is rivalry games are one of the coolest things about college football, and I enjoy watching all of them. Still…

Look, I know I'm not unbiased here, it's well established where my loyalties are. But when I watch all of the other games, I can't help but come to the same conclusion that John Feinstein did – Army v. Navy is the purest rivalry in sports (fantastic book, the L&T bought me a copy when it was originally published, but I wouldn't read it till Navy stopped what was a 5 game losing streak to Army).

Back in the day, Army v. Navy was the only game played on the first weekend in December, but because of championship games, and Div-II playoffs, that's changed. Still, if you love football, want to see young men leave it all out on the field, and then embrace like the brothers they are, tune in to your local CBS affiliate at 9am (PST). I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Let Army v. Navy week begin! Go Navy! Beat Army!!

BTW – Found a great summery of every Army v. Navy game played here.

 

My Top Five Navy Wins…

For some reason we as a species are very fond of making lists, and really I'm not any different. With Navy's fantastic win over Notre Dame a couple of weeks ago some might wonder where that game ranks on my list (probably not, but it's my blog so I'm going with it). I don't know that I can actually rank my favorite games from 1 to 5, so I'll just go with chronological order…

1983 – Army v. Navy game ("The Return") – The game was played in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena that year. My friend Nan had come out with the Brigade from the Academy for the game and my folks came down from Sacramento as well. Unfortunately for me, being a lowly E-3 I had to stay in San Diego and work that day. So, in what may have been one of the worst kept secrets of all time, I snuck a small portable TV into my exam room, and watched the game between seeing patients. And it was a great game for Navy, with Napoleon McCallum returning the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown on the way to a 42 – 13 win. By the end of the game I must have had 15 people crammed around a 6" TV in a 10'x4' room. Of all my Army v. Navy games, that may have been the weirdest place I've ever watched it from.

1989 – Army v. Navy game ("The Kick") – Despite the long distance, L&T and I were a pretty serious couple in December of that year, but this was her first Army .v Navy "with" me. She was back in Washington State and I was still teaching in SoCal, so our relationship was pretty much based on phone calls. Going into the game Navy had lost 3 straight against Army, so my anxiety was already a little more elevated than normal. The game was back and forth the whole 60 minutes. With time winding down and the Mids trailing 17-16, they got the ball to the Army 19 with 15 seconds left to play and prepared to make a field goal attempt. When Army called a time out to ice the kicker I couldn't stand it anymore and called the L&T, and so 1000 miles apart we watched as Frank Shank drilled a 36 yarder to win it. It was the first of many Army v. Navy games for the L&T and me.

2004 – Navy @ ZoomieLand ("The Road Win") – In 2003 Navy hosted Air Force and beat them for the first time in many years which lead to Navy winning the Commander In Chief's trophy. The Zoomies were steamed, and had a special case built in their locker room to display the trophy they "knew" they'd get back when we had to play there. The game was nationally televised and coincided with Stout's Las Vegas birthday trip. We arrived at the Bellagio Sports Book just in time for the kickoff. I broke a cardinal rule of sports betting, never bet on your team, but with Navy getting points, I just couldn't resist. Navy took an early lead, but the Zoomies kept hanging around and finally tied it late in the 4^th quarter, which lead to me pacing around the rear of the Book. Then Navy produced a classic drive, chewing up the clock till, with 4 seconds remaining, Geoff Blumenfeld drilled a 30 yard field goal for the 24 – 21 Navy win. It was a great start to the weekend.

2004 – Emerald Bowl, Navy v. New Mexico ("The Drive") – By a quark of fate we were headed to my brother-in-law's house outside of Sacarmento for Christmas in 2004. So when Navy earned a berth in the 2004 Emerald Bowl, I convinced the L&T that I had to take the opportunity to go to the game. December 30^th, 2004 was cold and rainy, so rainy in fact that a portion of the end zone had about 4" of standing water by game time. Still it's hard to dampen the fan base of a team that was going to its 2^nd straight bowl game, so from the time that the Brigade marched on the field Navy fans were ready for almost anything. Almost. With 1:41 left in the 3^rd quarter, Navy got the ball on their own 1 yard line and, in something I couldn't believe I was watching, proceeded to go on a 14 minute, 26 second, 26 play, 94 yard drive that sealed the win for Navy. I've never seen anything like it and most of us in the stands couldn't believe it, but it's the greatest drive I've ever seen in person or on TV. After the win I walked the two miles back to the hotel in the rain, but didn't feel it at all.

2007 – Navy @ Notre Dame ("The Streak") – I wasn't alive the last time Navy had beaten Notre Dame. You can say all you want about how this is a down year for Notre Dame, and how they shouldn't have lost the game, and a hundred other excuses, but the fact of the matter is that after 43 years, Navy went into South Bend and beat Notre Dame.

 

 

Navy Football

I love Navy Football. I've loved Navy football since my junior year in high school when I decided to join the Navy "undergraduate" program (meaning regular, enlisted, US Navy). In high school a very good friend went to Annapolis and we joked about "our" team (Nan Russell, USNA Class of '86. Nan – If you're out there in the ether I'd love to hear from you). The L&T would probably say that "love" is an understatement. When a Navy game is on TV, I'm watching and/or getting it on TiVo. Win or lose, I'm watching. The annual Army v. Navy game is a pretty much a "high holy day" in the Smith household. I know the players, stats, and coaches. I can explain in detail Navy's triple option, Navy's 4-3 defense, and why both are the perfect schemes for us to run based on the type of players we get. I know the history and can discuss it depth (but usually don't unless friends need to fall asleep).

All of above isn't a brag, but it is to lend gravis to the fact that when I say Saturday's triple overtime victory over Notre Dame is one of the most important wins in Navy history, I have some idea what I'm talking about. It's not just a win against a rival, and it's not just another step closer to a bowl game, and it's definitely not Army. But it is an end to the questions – "Why can't Navy beat ND?" "What about The Streak?" and worst of all "Should Navy really be playing D-1 football?"

We had come so close to beating Notre Dame so many times recently, including twice in the last six years where we were just one defensive stop on 4^th down away from winning. So you can imagine how my heart sank when we gave up a 4^th and 14 conversion late in the 4^th quarter. Another defeat snatched from the jaws of victory… OT brought its own anguish, holding them on the 2 point try only to have a "questionable" (that's how ND's broadcasters described it) pass interference call. When we held them on the second attempt, I just sat there on the floor. I couldn't believe it, I must have sat there for 5 minutes, not moving, not yelling, just sitting there in disbelief.

Thanks to Sirius satellite, I'm able to listen to the Navy radio broadcast (with TiVo I actually sync the TV and Radio). It means I get to listen to Bob Socci, the Navy play-by-play announcer who has been around the program for about 25 years, who along with former Navy quarterback Omar Nelson and occasionally author John Feinstein, make the experience that much more enjoyable (of all the weeks for John not to be in the booth!). After the game, Bob wasn't saying much, then Omar told us why – Bob and his producer couldn't talk because they were crying. I love pro football and the NFL, but there's no way that's happening in a pro game. There's nothing in the world like college football…

I'll leave the final words to a young Ensign and 2007 USNA grad that is getting ready to steam for the "Med" (Mediterranean Sea):

"While it would have been awesome to be at the Academy when it happened... (we really would have been the coolest class ever... four Commander in Chief's Trophies, finally toppling Army in amount of Army/Navy wins, and beating Notre Dame!  No one would have compared!) ... (O)n some level it still feels like a personal victory.  I was able to witness players that I've watched from the beginning of their college careers defeat a team that has been holding us down for forty-three years… Believe it or not, a win like that, when you have nothing else to hold on to, shakes not only the stadium (Navy/Air Force 2003) but can shake one's soul to the core.  These guys deserve it, the Mids and the players, their dedication to our school (especially the Firsties) is unparalleled…Go Navy.  Beat everyone."

Something doesn’t add up…

Like a lot of football fans, I've been thinking about the New England Patriots "cheating" thing (like many, I hate all the "-Gate" versions so I'm going with "Snaps, Lies, and Videotape or SLV for short) a fair amount and a couple of things bother me.

First off is the reaction of current and former players to SLV – I've heard guys like Bettis (drugs on team) Emmitt Smith (more drugs), Terrell Davis (drugs, Mike Shanahan admitted to stealing signals himself, and worst of all salary cap manipulation) all talk about how they feel cheated. As the old saying goes, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

But here's the thing that really gets me – I think the Patriots (and let's not kid ourselves here, this wasn't something that Belichick did alone, the organization had to have known about this, it's Belichick's team so it's ultimately his responsibility, but the organization helped) did it on purpose. Seriously, I can't come up with any other explanation because nothing else makes sense. Think about it, the team had been warned that they were going to be watched based on prior suspicions. They were playing a Jets team that, while plucky, weren't exactly the Colts. They knew that the Jets were going to watch them like hawks for any competitive advantage. Last, but certainly not least, is the fact that Belichick is a master tactician and one of the smartest guys in football, after the warning he had to know they'd get caught. In other words, the Patriots had everything to lose and very little to gain. And yet they did it anyway.

The piece I'm missing is the why? Why would they do something that they knew would lead to trouble? Was it to try and give the team a "circle the wagons" mentality? They didn't really need that. Or was it to create a diversion for something else?

I've got no idea the real answer, but you have to admit that the Patriots getting caught at videotaping their opponents defensive signals during the first week of the season, doesn't make sense either…

Coach Walsh

The NFL lost a giant today with the passing of Bill Walsh. His 10 year career results were impressive, 102-63-1 including 3 Super Bowls. But to me there are two lesser known things that speak to Coach Walsh's leadership. He was the first coach to bring in to the clubhouse financial advisors to help his players prepare for life outside the NFL. He also established a minority coaching program that was later adopted by the League. The wins are impressive and are what got him into the Hall, but his legacy and genius are in the little things that he did. One heck of a football coach, one heck of a man.

Race day!

It’s 5:30am on the morning of our 5th (at least we’re pretty sure it’s our 5th) Vancouver SunRun, and while I think this has always been true, it’s something that has taken me a while to consciously realize – I’m all about the ritual. As much as I might enjoy a specific sport or activity, I also enjoy the preparation. Golf, cycling, running, curling, it doesn’t really matter; there’s something wonderfully familiar about the actual getting ready.

This morning it’s preparing to do a 10k with, as of last official count, 52,662 other runners (though I guess technically it would be 52,661 other runners). For running the prep starts the night before, making sure that my music ready to go and re-lacing my shoes (inside over outside for the laces please). Quick aside – One of the cooler aspects of the SunRun is the “fair” that they have the day before the race so that you can pick-up your bib number. It’s mostly vendors, but it’s nice to walk about. This year I actually found a great pair of super-lightweight New Balance shoes and so for the first time since running cross-country back “in the day” I’m going to sockless.

Anyway… Race mornings are early affairs for me, one of the joys of having IBD is getting up early enough to “work through the morning” as well as let the drugs take effect. Because we’re basically at the start line (our hotel is just about 3 blocks from the start, but right across the street from the finish) we skip the normal drive portion so I get ready listening to music (Dirty Vegas this morning), stretching out, figuring out how many layers to wear, and the like, but I do enjoy going through the motions…

Epilogue - Decent weather, some sun, no rain, very little wind, and about 50 degrees. Not the nicest weather we've had (it would be hard to beat last year) but no where near the worst. As for my personal performance? Well... I would have been a lot happier if it had been a 5k (my normal distance), because I ran that first 5 in under 33 which would have been a season best. After that I slowed significantly finishing at 70:34. Not even close to a PB, but considering I don't really run anymore I suppose I should be somewhat happy with it. Overall it's been a great weekend, and I'm stoked that I can go out and do these sorts of things with Kirsten.

BTW - Official total of runners was 54,181. Very cool