Hokie Open. Power Animal

Hokie Open this morning. 6k cross race on the Virginia Tech course. The field was made up of agroup of VT runners, some runners from smaller schools like Radford, some guys from the triathlon team, and a few unattached runners.

Ten minute warm up, and "hot stuff." I'm at the start line, toward the right behind the VT XC team. Without enough time to think the race was on. Focus. Leg turnover. Breath. Not that heavy, you're embarrassing yourself.

Sitting about 8-10 at 2k, holding onto a guy who was cut from the VT team. I'll call him "Billy," I think that's right. He was running steady and brought me through the first mile in 5:10.

"Well, that's a little faster than I've run in awhile."

Focus. Power Animal. Unleash the power animal.

I dreamt of the plains last night I felt the earth beneath my hooves
I felt the dust fly into my nostrils
I ran...

At 3k Billy gapped me and I put in a pathetic effort over a set of hills that lead us back toward the finish line for the second lap. Chris Brown, comes through running not all that fast but pretty smooth. I sit on his feet for a little, and we turn onto the second loop.

Chris Clarke joins us and pushes the pace through 4k. It's me Chris Clarke and Chris Brown, with the race up the road. I think we were toward the back of the pack, but I'm not sure.

A steady hill to lead us past the plantation a second time hurt the motivation a bit. I was gapped from Chris Clarke and Cameron Hanlin (who's ready for a great marathon next weekend in Richmond), made his way up, and looked stronger than me. I turned the corner at the cornfield and cruised down the hill.

Chris Brown made a strong move by me when we crossed the creek before 5k, he said something to pick me up, but when I tried to hop on his feet I was already gapped.

I caught up to their group at the bottom of the last hill, but the legs weren't really turning at that point. I need to get that bread and butter leg speed back. After the back stretch I saw Chris Brown put in a kick on someone, and I got fired up for the finish.

I came by Chris Clarke a little late, and had too much kick and not enough time to use it. Chris recently won the Lynchburg Ultra Series so it wasn't really anything to write home about as the guy's warm ups are probably longer than my long runs.

On the women's side Nicole Pederson raced to fifth with a smile on her face (I don't think it stops,) and Amanda and Karrie? rounded out the field.

All in all a fun effort. Nice Morning, completed by a solid breakfast, where everyone had to dash to go help time a home VT swim meet against Clemson.

These kids don't stop.

Below is a picture of Chris from Big Lick, he beat all the triathletes today, and got us all into this race. Good on ya Chris.

btw. the power animal is a joke.


Rest Well