Last night I just couldn't get myself excited about this race. Even stopping by the start line to pick up my race packet didn't get me going. I had only run once this week, a miserable trip home from work into a relentless headwind that left me feeling flat and slow. I tried to get to bed early and stay optimistic about what could happen on race day.

The race started at 7:00 so I was up very early to eat my customary toast and butter with a cup of coffee before picking up a couple running buds and heading to the starting line. As I mentioned before, my goal was to break 60 minutes on the 15K course, around 6:30 pace. The race was small, just under 500 people and I had a feeling I'd be alone for most of the trip. There were a few guys that looked like they would kick my ass and two lithe athletic girls that jumped into the starting line just before the race started. 50 degrees, a very light drizzle and almost no wind. Nearly perfect conditions.

The race started in Gasworks Park on Lake Union with spectacular views of downtown and the space needle. 15 or so people strung out in front of me and within 2k I had passed several and things settled in. I quickly realized that the race would only have kilometer splits. No mile splits! Initially this aggravated me but I realized that 4:00 per K would give me exactly 60 minutes so as long as I stayed under 4 I'd be just fine. I actually liked the quick feedback that K markers gave me. It was so methodical and easy to gauge. I also only roughly knew my mile pace so it left me blissfully ignorant of how hard I was running. The first 5K went by around 19:40 and I was now holding steady 3:50 Ks which were banking time against my 60 minute goal.

We did a little out and back before taking the long loop around Lake Union I counted 9 people in front of me, I was 20 seconds behind the two girls and the guy behind me was way back. I worked on catching the girls as we began looping around the lake but after 10 minutes I realized it was pointless. They were slowly pulling away.

I felt great on this section. The Ks kept ticking by like clockwork and I almost felt as if I was holding back. I was utterly alone on the course but lost in my own thoughts and wind was no issue so the solitude didn't bother me. I rounded the south end of the lake with about 6 K to go and a sub 59 minute finish was looking more and more likely. At around 10K I started banking time for sub 59 but I had rough idea of the course and knew there was a decent climb in the last 5K. It was getting more difficult to hold the 3:50 K pace and despite my efforts the splits began inching closer to 4:00.

The climb up to the bridge over the canal was split into a few sections due to several twists and turns in the course. It eliminated any time in the bank for 59 minutes and with 3 K to go I knew I was on the edge of going under 59. This was perfect. Had I been 30 seconds away from breaking 59 I probably would have taken it relatively easy but this gave me a goal. I had to push hard over the last mile along a bike path and to the finish. My watch had me squeaking in just under the wire in 58:58. Awesome! Official time was 58:55.

Definitely a better effort than expected and this left me with a warm feeling the rest of the day. With age and reduced mileage I keep waiting for my running fitness to really drop of but it hasn't happened. This race was up there with my half marathon last fall and not far off my peaking running shape of several years back. In fact I am somewhat proud of the consistency over the past 6-8 years. It would of course be great to have an improving trend over that time but with the demands of life, possibility of injury and wax and wane off my enthusiasm for the sport, to keep hitting relatively solid times is reward in itself. What a difference from my feelings 24 hours ago.