I have to leave work an hour early in order to make it from Denver to Boulder in time for bib pick up and having been down to the Pearl St Mall area before I know that parking is limited. I bring my bike, park a few blocks away and save my energy as I coast to the start line.
WTC and Run Boulder stepped it up a knotch this year with athlete goodies including a thermois, a pint glass and tech shirt with race logos, as well as bib numbers with our names or nick names on them.
After Berry Siff and team Timex led the kids warm up the Mascott race was under way. I have no idea how these people were able to run 500m in 96*+ temps while in hot costumes. Its so fun to watch. I aspecially liked when Chip the CU mascott stole the raffle bike half way through to try to cheat his way to the win.
The Competitive women's wave went off at 7:10 and to be honest this is where I belonged, they were running times closer to what I expected to run. The winner ran a 4:55. I remember watching my friends roll in around 5:30 last year and this was my goal. Not only that, it was time to return the Wagner Mile annual challenge. Originally unnamed but every year around 9/11 since 2001 I've toughed out a mile time trial to see what I've got and assess my fitness. I left off with a 5:19 in 2008 but did have a 5:09 in 2003. My PR in the mile is from 1998 at 4:46 and I have no idea where that came from. The Wagner mile is named after Wagner College, the venue for which a challenge developed when I started to run my mouth of how I could just pick up and run a sub 5:30 mile any time. And thats what I call fit or "in shape". Well that year 2007 I went out too hard the first 800 (somewhere around 2:20) and ended up having to stop when a lingering calf injury resurfaced. It was pretty embarassing at the time since the whole Wagner College T&F team was there to watch. A few days later I ran a 5:45 just to say I accepted the challenge and put a time on the board.
Until now my best mile time trial at altitude has been 5:59 done on the Boulder HS track, so needless to say I didnt really know how this race was going to pan out. I also didnt know if id be able to once again be in a position to not only beat the Wagner challenge but to do it at altitude.
I toed the line after a few striders positioned about 3 rows back with 60 stud Boulder elites, and skinny xc looking guys. The horn sounded and instantly I was passed by half the field as we wound through the down town streets of the Boulder Mall area. I stayed with a more aggressive running form, higher knees, more forward lean and a toe to midfoot strike passing the half way mark with a 2:26 split which blew my mind. I looked at that with disbelief but knew full well that much of that came from the slight downward slant that would be followed by a late uphill battle on the return.
There was a bit of cat and mouse as some runners began to fade and I started to accelerate to my perpritary finishing kick. I was gasping for air like a fish out of water. I made the final turn on 14th where a massive crowd crept into the street almost so much that I couldnt see the finish. I looked down at my watch at 5:06 and caught a glimps of the finish and decided to go for it! I clocked a hand time of 5:27 and was awarded a 5:29 chip time. I had done it! and really didnt think I had it in me with the few track/speed workouts I've done.
Post race I had developed a nice smokers caught that will undoubtibly be with me for the next few days like when I used to run the 400m indoors in High School. After a short cooldown I accepted an invite to the Newton Running Lab in Boulder for their Race Team announcement party- Team Alchamy.
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