2010 Steamboat race (4 miles for me)

Just the facts: I powerwalked (bent knee walk; would be illegal in a race walking event), 39:33 chip time, 40:37 gun time, overall place: 1736 out of 3056, 50-54 male: 86/126.

Going in, I was not in a position to run it nor was I in a position to race walk the Steamboat 4 mile legally (right knee) so I figured if I was going to walk illegally anyway, I ought to walk it as fast as possible.

So I did a 2-2.5 mile walk to the start line and got there in time to make one final bathroom stop. I chatted with several people at the start (Tracy, Dave, Herb) and then lined up at about the 10 minute per mile pace sign.

The crowd was off; it took me roughly one minute to reach the start line.
I fell into pace ok; the first bit was a bit slow and I was having posture troubles. I have a hard time staying straight up and down; my feet were ok and my knees didn’t hurt.

I was mostly trying to not run into people. The first mile came at 10:21. I started to pass people and got to the turn around point ok; at this time I passed the firefighter formation. 9:51 was my second mile; I was maintaining contact but my knees were soft. We were now at the highest point of the course; the rest would be downhill.

I pushed on the third mile (9:36); the sun was at our back and the glare off of some of the spandex ladies provided an interesting light show…I love glistening female backsides!

But I probably pushed a bit too hard; my knees were bent here…very bent.

Then at around 5k (just about 31 minutes) I had to slow walk for a couple of segments; but I got right back into it with .5 miles to go.
I pushed down Hamilton and heard Barbara yell “posture” at me; I pushed my shoulders back and she yelled “better”.
I came down and saw the clock right at 40 and knew that I had a shot at a sub 40 chip time. The last mile was 9:43 (down hill) and I got 39:32.

After that I slow walked up…to find Barbara and walk with her. We saw Tracy finish.

Stats for the races:

Barbara then started the non-competitive 4km Junior Steamboat and I walked with her; the first mile was right about 19 minutes and it took her just under 51 minutes to finish.

She is here early…

On the out leg

Right about 1 mile

On the return leg; the 15K runners in the distance are on their final mile too.

Finish line in sight.

Past Steamboat entries:

2005 (15K as a runner)
2006 (4 mile as a walker)
2007 (4 mile with Barbara)
2008 (4 mile with Barbara)
2009 (15K as a runner)

My personal Steamboat History (so I can compare past years)
1998: 15K 1:08:22, warm, sticky, 22:50/23:05/22:27, 183/844, 29/71 in the age group. Disappointed in my time but not place.
1999: 15K 1:07:53, better weather, 22:38/23:01/22:13, lower AG placing, blistered my foot.
2000: 4 mile: 27:51, 6:44/6:49/7:12/7:06 (split up 15K/4 mile the next few years)
2001: 4 mile: 29:13, 6:45/6:47/7:38/8:03 (knee was hurt; very hot)
2001 (fall) 15K: 1:11:16: 23:20/24:04/23:51, week after Big Shoulders)
2002: 4 mile walk: 43:15: 10:57/10:53/10:55/10:35 (shins hurt)
2002 (fall) 15K: 1:14:33 24:10/25:07/25:16
2003: off
2004: 4 mile: 33:10 (7:53/7:57/8:45/8:34); I did two hard 24 hour walks in May.
2005: 15K, 1:23:13 (26:40/27:49/28:43); very hot; McNaughton 100 in April, OKC marathon over Memorial day.
2006: 4 mile walk, 42:10 (10:32/10:25/10:43/10:28); very hot; piriformis trouble; 83 miler two weeks earlier.
2007: 4 miles easy with Barbara (1:10:04)
2008: 4 miles easy with Barbara (1:13:00)
2009: 15K: 1:27:23, 29:21/29:49/28:14 (66 miler two weeks before; torn meniscus (though I didn’t know it at the time)

Advertisement