The weather forecast did not look good for this race. The word Northeaster was thrown around for the past couple of days. “I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK I sleep all night and I work all day.” Rain was to start around 1 am with a 40% chance of continued rain for the remainder of the day. We were lucky with the 60% chance of no rain.
I prepared the night before, expecting to get wet. The start line is less than a half mile from my house. I would usually run to and from the race. To navigate around private property, I would have to travel about a mile, which is a good warm-up distance.
With the expected rain, I wimped out and drove to Pratt Park.
In 2020, I measured this 10km course on River Road and through Pratt and Brooks Parks. I ran Veterans Day races in 2020 and 2021 on this course.. As part of the measurement, I certified the 5km location, and in 2023, I ran a 5 km Memorial Day event.
I arrived in the parking lot around 6:30 and dropped off a couple of tablecloths at the FARC tent.
Civil daylight started around 7 am, and I started my warmup at the same time. I walked and ran on River Road for 20 minutes, getting back to the start line at 7:20 with the anticipation of being in the group picture. However, they moved the picture location at the last minute. I walked to the nearby water stop for a drink, then returned to the start line.
Race weather was 63 degrees, with cloudy skies and a 63-degree dew point. The forecasted rain never held off.
I wore shorts over compress shorts, my red FARC singlet, a ball cap, and my older Saucony Triumph 22 shoes. These are the shoes I use to run in the rain, not caring if they get wet.
I classify the course as challenging and strategic. The course starts heading north on River Road for 0.7 miles, which includes a 30-foot drop.
Turning around, the next 1.8 miles are the same as the final 1.8 miles of the race. We hit the one-mile mark before heading back up the hill. My first mile was 10:30. I planned to run until reaching the water table at 2.3 miles into the course. The course continues south on River Road, turning around before reaching Route 3, heading up another incline. Turning around, I reached the two-mile mark with a split of 11:02.
After a short distance, we turned onto the Belmont-Ferry Farm trail, heading uphill into the park and crossing the finish line for the first time. The climb into the park is about 60 feet, and the water table is in this section. As planned, I walked for two minutes after grabbing a cup.
Past the finish line, the path is level with my third mile of 11:33. The uphill added some time. Past the 5km mark, the course turns into the woods over to Brooks Park with some rolling ups and downs.
The second water table was 3.7 miles into the course, and I walked two minutes while drinking. My next planned walking break is the 30-foot climb on River Road. I passed the four-mile mark with an 11:37 split.
Within a tenth of a mile, a set of switchbacks includes a 90-foot drop. I increased my pace without increasing my stride length to reduce stress impact. Back on River Road, we were on the repeated segment. My stride felt good, and when I reached the bottom of the hill, I started walking to the top. Some people passed me while I walked. Once I got to the top, I started running and passed those people. My fifth mile was an 11:04.
Just after the final turnaround, I came up behind Will Triplett and commented, “It’s all uphill to the finish. I wonder who created this course?”
Back on the Belmont-Ferry Farm Trail, I ran the uphill the best I could. My sixth mile was a 10:31, and my last .21 miles was 2:40. There’s a lot of up in the final two tenths.
I finished in 1:09:16, placing 74th overall, 39th male, and fourth male in the 60 to 69 age group. This finish was a post-procedure Garmin PR, by 6 minutes.
This race was the second since I changed my meds to take my morning beta blocker after running. My average heart rate was 155 bpm with a maximum of 166 bpm.
When I ran this course in 2020, my time was 54:05, which would have won the 60 to 69-year-old age group today. Getting old sucks.
Instead of a shirt, we received a pair of socks. I received a finisher medal and the final piece of the Coldwell Banker Elite Grand Prix medal for completing my ninth race in 2025.
Next up is the Marine Corps Marathon in two weeks. My quads were sore during today’s race. Maybe that is a result of last week’s 20-mile run. I’ll be doing easy runs for the next couple of weeks.