I awakened at midnight to the sound of wind and rain...we're talkin' gale-force winds. I think they clocked them at 40-50mph at the weather station. I said to myself, "SELF, this is gonna be a messy one." I was right.

RACE REPORT: Field of about 40 (?). I don't know, but not many and they were ALL skinny fast ba$!@rds like the Vancouver1/2 mary. No real extreme climbs or descents like on the Marquam/Terwilliger trail up to Council Crest. Just kind of rollers, I guess. The next time a race director says pre-race, "well, there are several really important things you should know" I'm headin' for the car. There is a creek that runs through this park and, well, that wind and rain storm last night had swollen it to waist deep water.

And off we go. Nuthin' major. Just two loops around the park for just shy of 8k. Oh yeah, that the RD said that it was a little short because of a little gift from nature that we would need to figure out how to cross. Well, that was the swollen creek. I opted for the narrower steeper climb, which required scaling a tree out over the creek and leaping for a long on the other side. ALMOST made it the first lap. I, however, didn't end up in the waist deep water at the easier climb just down the creek where most others crossed. After that little JAUNT, the trail went up a flight of stairs made of railroad ties. I dunno, maybe 2 flights of stairs. HELLO LACTIC ACID!!! WOW, haven't felt thatin WEEKS! I guess Coach Troy's iso-freakin-metric squats are good for something.

Finished in 30:06. I gotta stop hanging at the very back for these starts. I always think that will give me time to get in a groove, but I spend some much energy and time passing people. Oh well. The race was a lot of fun, just wish I hadn't been by myself. Ma G was out of town and this was my first race going by myself. I stood around after I finished for a few minutes and wondered, "why am I watching all of these people finish when I don't know a single person and Ma G won't be cruisin' in. Uh, what do I do now. Hmm, looks like I should just get in the car and go home." I don't know how folks go to races by themselves. I can't do it.

Thanks for reading,
Jeff