With all this pressure we drove out to the Elk Lodge to pick up the bib number.
The weather wasn't too bad. 32 degrees (just like last year) with 20-25mph wind from NW.
The past two years I had people who'd push me through at least the first half of the race and I hoped that it would be the same this year as well. After the 1k I was alone and I had a gut feeling that it would stay like that for the entire race. On the way out the wind was not in favor. Sometimes I felt I was blown back. I still managed to turn in 17:35ish. The wind helped us running back towards the park. I picked up the pace and ran almost the entire second half in sub-5:20 pace. I managed to swerve through almost the entire 5k field. Joggers, walkers, people running in groups for fun while I was racing my heart out. I wonder what they might have thought when they heard than saw me running by while wheezing so loud.
All in all I finished in 34:17 (16:40 2nd half)- based on my watch but because I stopped before the second mat my official time is only 34:22. Oh well.
I have muscle soreness even now, days after the race.
