Applefest Leftovers

I never ran race with timing chips before. The chips for Applefest started right at the start of the race. Somehow I thought they would activate only as I physically passed over the starting line. By my own watch I was about a 90 seconds faster than the official clock. A minor bitch.

I realized after the race I didn't use Bodyglide anwywhere. I was reminded of this when I was confronted with the sight of a guy with a white running top with a smear of blood oozing from his right nipple. Ewww. Get a looser a shirt buddy. I suffered no ill effects from chafing so, I guess my manly nips must've developed calluses or something.

I ran with the same cluster of runners for a lot of the race. You know when you find your happy pace you keep seeing the same faces jostling back & forth for position. There was the tall black lady with skinny legs. There was a big, muscular guy who ran right down the middle of the road the whole race. He seemed to be running with the compact blonde girl in the tank top. If they were a couple, the honeymoon was over on the hills after Mile 10. She left his ass in her road dust. As did I. I think I blew past everyone in this group except maybe the blonde.

Gu works. So does Propel. I bonked after Mile 12 but, only because I forgot to use my last Gu. Hmmm, better running through chemistry.

I did so well yesterday I don't know what the I've been sweating about the last couple of weeks. I was conditioned. I could do the hills. I had the gravy running form. I was the Luminous Egg baby. It's like I just stopped this yesterday not 23 years ago. But, that's not true I believe my running is more mindful than it was in the 80's. I think I'm a more smarter runner. Listen to me. One race under my belt.

My finishing place was 522. There were 1500 runners entered in the race (not including relay runners). Did I finish close to the to third? No shit. Applefest's website hasn't posted the official times yet. I wonder where I finished in my age group?

Looking ahead. I picked up some race forms. There's a 10 miler in Andover in November. Maybe. If I keep up the distance the Hyannis Marathon is in February. You have to be out of your freakin' mind to plan marathon training in the middle of a New England winter but, I've never been weighed down by an excess of common sense.

NSV. I registered for Applefest in late April/early May. I've lost weight since then. I wound exchanging my size large race shirt for a medium.

I might've lost a lot of weight but, I'm still a fatty compared to some of the human greyhounds in this race. I was between Mile 7&8 when the winner crossed the line.

There's a lot of runners with a lot less modesty than me too. Some running outfits don't leave a lot to the imagination. Spandex,Speedo,buttcrack diving outfits. Egad.

I was amazed at the many shapes,sizes,ages,& speeds of all the runners I saw. We were all brought together by the same event. It was cool. It was good people watching.

It was fun.