Chris Walden Hilltop 5k Mountain Run

 This was a really fun course! It looks so different in the summer. This is my winter playground where I like to snowboard! This was a HILLY 5k with about 400m of cumulative gain. The course was tough but for me it was easier than Arctic Valley. The soft surface keeps your legs from getting beat up too. The first 1500 runs on the trails at the bottom and I just sandbagged this part intentionally and ran in 4th place knowing I'd go to work on the climbs. That's just what I did, halfway into the first climb, I had worked my way up and just had to not get caught on the downhills. I'm a better climber than descender believe it or not. Climbing is fun :) At the top heading into the final descent, I had a decent lead but just had to haul ass to the bottom and not get caught. I managed to pull that off for the win and I would definitely do this one again next year. It's a super fun course. Up and down up and down repeat.... It's for a good cause too- treatment for substance abuse.

Alaska Distance Classic 5 and 10k 6August

Well- this was a surprise. I got back from Moscow a couple weeks earlier and continued training as planned. I like to do this one as a good tempo workout should I decide to do longer races later in the year. It's also fun :) Run the 5k, then come back and about 20 minutes later do the 10. If you double, your time gets added up and the winner is determined by best time. I also like that it's clearly stated that top 3 are determined by ORDER OF FINISH. So, should you end up having to kick with someone at the end, first across the line gets the better finish spot. Isn't that what a RACE is? That's generally how it works in international competition and it's never questioned. Age groups sometimes get determined by chip time, but not the top overall. There are a few races that do this, but it then completely defeats the idea of good competitive racing if you are one of those top runners. If you are a top runner, you start up front with other top runners and you then typically run with that pack and sort yourselves out. This is one of the things I like about races in Russia- this is clearly stated in the rules. So, the person who breaks the tape at the finish never has to worry about someone they never even saw or ran with during the race who started say 30 seconds back on chip time "beating "them. I even remember when I had a top 100 elite start at the Chicago Marathon having to sign a form agreeing to this very rule. Chip times are usually used for people who are qualifying for something else (Boston, or some other standard).

This brings us to the 5k-no rest for the wicked. I had moved up to 3rd within the first 1500 and had to hold on which I managed to do. By the time the 10 came around, I was hoping I could hold on for a hafway decent race after a fast 5. I ended up 2nd overall in the 10. I had about a 25 second lead on the third woman after 4 k so decided to pick it up as much as I could in the second half. I was lucky to have a pack of guys to pull me along :) After I finished, I didn't see the next woman for a while so I thought hmmmm...I may have won the double since the winner of th 10 didn't do the 5. She's the HS state champion in the 1600 and 3200 and that would have been a close race with her had I not run the 5. Our times are close in the 5 mile and 10k. I like watching her run at the HS meets. She's got a lot of talent. 

So, after it sorted out, I did end up winning the double up by nearly three minutes! I think I'm the oldest fart to ever pull that off. I won it in 2019, but today was nearly four minutes faster overall! 

Totals-

3rd in the 5

2nd in the 10

masters winner in both

age group winner in both

and got a really nice new pair of NB comp trainers as part of the prize package!

 

Medtroika 16 July Iskra Stadium Moscow

 This was the first time since 2018 I have done this one. It's always a great race and well organized. It was also the last time I pulled n 11 minute 3k. This is the race that was postponed this year by 3 weeks due to the Prigozhin "rebellion" on the 24 June. All events in Moscow and the region were cancelled that weekend due to safety concerns. I was fortunate to have some good ladies to run with and started out in back as usual and worked up. I ran with a high school girl who was pacing just under 4 min/km and went hard for that first 11 minute 3 k since I last did this race! With the death of the Alaska outdoor Championships in late July, I have zero-yes ZERO summer track opportunities available to me stateside for racing. I ended up winning the masters by quite a bit. I was glad to be able to get back for this one :)