Kutztown Fools Run 10 Miler

Kutztown Fools Run 10 Miler
By JosephTree

AprilFoolsRun.jpg
Yesterday I ran the first of my spring tour road races, a reprise of my first race of last year's season. It was just like a miserable morning when I woke up - 36F, drizzle and no prospect for any improvement in the forecast. Fortunately, I paid no attention and had a pleasant breakfast and a leisurely drive to the race with my #1 good company, Lynn. I got signed in and warmed up without really noticing that the morning had actually gotten, if not nice, at least not so ugly by the time we were lined up to start. That meant that the drizzle had mostly abated. Good enough!

To get ready for this race I'd gone and read some books and such, so I ran a little warmup, and had a little bit of sweat going. This was a first for me, and I think it was a good thing. The air horn sounded and we were off for a tour of the rolling hills of southeastern PA. I concentrated on not tripping at first, and then on simply finding that happy place where legs and lungs seem to agree on a pace. The roads were wet, and I found that my Vibram Bikilas, which I've been running in intermittently since October of 2010, weren't holding the surface well, especially on the steeper downhills. This required me to pay very careful attention to how I put my feet down. OK. Aside from that, everything was moving along sweetly. At mile 1 I heard the guys beside me mention that the pace was about 7:30. After a systems check I decided that I was good with that. I settled in for the run and watched the mile signs begin their slow parade by me.

My focus floated from one thing to another...breathing, legs, traction, glasses (fogged up and tucked in my belt)...handsome woman's lycra'd butt...birds calling...hill! The hills weren't any great challenge to me like they'd been last year. I took them in stride, neither losing nor gaining much until I hit the down slopes, where I realized again that the natural form lent itself to "spinning" and taking more advantage of gravity than regular shod types seemed to care to do. That meant that I started looking forward to them. Whowee!

Just past the 5 mile sign I was kind of coasting when these two fellas came thumping up from behind me, shoulder to shoulder. I noticed that we'd turned and were catching a little more breeze than before and that it was cold! I fell in behind the two, and took advantage of their draft and coincidentally their slightly faster pace. A mile or so later, after a few glances over their shoulders at this shadow they'd picked up, they seemed to slow down a bit, or maybe I was feeling stronger. In any case, I left them and proceeded to find new people to tag behind. It seemed to work.

I got to the last mile and felt just fine. One guy, whom I'd spun by 3 or 4 times, finally passed me on the long flat stretch to the finish, more power to him, and I followed him on in.

I finished in 1:18:15, 53rd out of I don't know how many, which took my cheering section by surprise. She was late to the line. That's OK. She couldn't have expected me to be about 13 minutes faster than last year. I certainly was surprised.

After the race and next day, I had a few twinges in my calves, a relic of the extra care required by the slippery Bikilas and the more aggressive spinning, I think.

It was my best run since I started this Barefoot running business, and I had a great time, having been alert and more present in the run, and having more fun than on any run I can remember.
 
I started running in May, 2010, BF from the first steps. I've since gotten the hang of running in VFF Bikilas if conditions warrant for weather, terrain, or for a race. [I]Flash!: I just got myself a pair of VFF Spyridons for rougher terrain and...
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Having fun is the bottom line. Congrats!