What I’ll remember most about this race is showing up to the starting line with a mix of the fine Scotch the my brother gave me for Christmas and Saag Paneer sloshing in my stomach. You’re not going to find any Runner’s World articles suggesting that this is the ideal fuel for your next race, but I don’t think you can underestimate the positive effects of a great evening with friends.
As for the race, a good crew was at the start line, including Chris Herren, Ryan Hopper, Matt Frondorf and a handful of really talented high schoolers. I was impressed by how tough the high school guys hung around for much of the race. I was reminded of being in high school and racing the “old guys” on the roads over the summer. Of course, I’m now that “old guy.”
Once we set off, I decided to just test the waters for a couple of miles and not make any moves until at least halfway through the race. That ended up being a solid plan, as I felt very comfortable at the back of a small pack. Eventually, when it was time to rock and roll, I surged up a little hill to opening up a gap.
At Mile 4 I really started to regret my dietary choices. We made our way into a park that seemed to wind endlessly around the local armory. Deep inside my gut, Scotch and curry burned. I looked over my shoulder to see Ryan Hopper closing the gap.
I gave my self a little pep-talk and managed a final surge out of the park. From there I didn’t look back.
I crossed the line in 26:50 [5:20 pace]. I’ll take this as a satisfying early result and look forward to extending that pace over longer and longer distances as spring approaches.
There was a post-race awards ceremony that was complete with Pikes Place coffee–the perfect recovery drink for both the race and the New Year’s Eve festivities.
Next up will be three weeks of hard training with another Frostbite 5 (no relation) in Centerville on Superbowl Sunday. That race will be my final benchmark before I begin my all out marathon training.
The Life and Miles of D. Leroy Warner 