Great job with all the racing and pacing guys! Good luck in Texas Eddie!!!

quote:<HR>Originally posted by aurang:
Hey Peter, it looks like you did get under 40. Congratulations; what did you win? I didn't stick around for the awards, but I think I did win something.

My race went well but the course was tougher than I was told. I was on pace through 4 km (15:12), but I really couldn't have afforded anything other than gentle inclines at most. The middle stretch was really tough, with a lot of hills and many, many sharp turns. I ran 39:07, but I could've beaten my previous best (38:40) if that's what I'd set out to do instead of breaking 38. I was 30 seconds ahead of my halfway split from my fastest 10k. Oh well, I ran a better race here anyway. I do have to say that the people at the Zoo Run seem more concerned about putting together a course that's fun to jog through than something that's suitable for racing.
<HR>

You're right, my time was 39:46.9, right around what I thought I would do. The first few kms I felt good, but the last half was not pleasant, my legs were very tired. So my strategy became hang on and don't let anybody my age or older pass me. A couple of guys passed me in the last km, something that usually doesn't happen to me in a race, but they weren't in my age group and I was too tired to care.

Congratulations yourself on your 3rd place in M20-24. I didn't see what the prizes were for you young folks and they are not described on the website. For 40+ it was a different set of prizes apparently. I won a 2,500,000 candle halogen search light, that's one bright mega flashlight.

Do you know that you can pick up your prize? To quote the website:
"Don't just win your prize, claim it! Participants have 30 days to claim any prizes.
Awards can be picked up after the event at RCP International, 33 Bloor St. East, Suite 807. Please call ahead to let us know you plan to pick up your award: 416-944-2765 x 503."

As for the course, I agree it can't be a fast one because of all the sharp corners, that's the only part I don't like.
I happen to like all the little up and downhills because I run downhills really well and those gentle hills maximize that ability. That's where I do all my passing. And I like the setting through the zoo paths with the bonus of seeing a lot of animals. I guess we could make use of the website feedback mechanism to complain about the hairpin turns.

Peter

Peter, I think going out hard was accidentally a sound strategy. I lost contact with everyone, I thought, but really they were 15-20 seconds ahead, out of sight but around the corner. Trying to run faster in the second half could have been difficult with no one to key off of.

I'll pick up my prize tomorrow. I knew I could and I've been to their office before to do it, I just wanted it then. I should've said I was from out of town.

I think all races in general are not as competitive they used to be. I saw the results for the first Waterfront Half Marathon they ran around 2000, which had a fraction of the field that this one did, but many, many, many people that were faster.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by aurang:

I think all races in general are not as competitive they used to be. I saw the results for the first Waterfront Half Marathon they ran around 2000, which had a fraction of the field that this one did, but many, many, many people that were faster.<HR>

I know what you mean about races being slower than years past. I have seen that effect in my local races too.

But in this Zoo 10km, in fact there were as many really fast (eg say sub 34:00) runners as past years, but just a little statistical anomaly in that the top masters male times were slower than past. My time of 37:38 from the 2004 race would have got me 3rd Masters and $100 this year. Oh well, I'll use that for extra motivation for next year, maybe the really fast old guys will stay away again.

This is the end of my racing year, so I'm starting to think about how I will peak for next year's Zoo race. I would like to do a few more of the CRS races, has just never worked out in past years, mostly due to injuries. The High Park 8km, the Sporting Life 10km and the Docks 5km are all appealing.

Peter

Aurang:

I agree that runners tend to be closer to my age than yours. What I was trying to saying was that in this one particular race some of the fastest competitive masters were missing.

Do you dislike the Sporting Life 10km because it's downhill and therefore an artificially fast time? If so, I would agree there too. I would rather have a fast but fair course. The other thing I don't like about this race is the logistical problems caused by 8000 runners plus the fact that the subway system isn't running early on Sunday mornings.The attraction is it does attract a lot of competitive runners. I would like to do it at least once.

By the way, the Docks 5km no longer appears on the CRS website. If it has been dropped, I wonder why.

Peter

Good luck to anyone (ie Patti) who is running Chicago. I'll keep an eye out for results.

That's sad to hear. She was ahead of schedule through 25 km. Good race anyway Patti, you weren't the only one today disappointed by the time. Congratulations on a year of hard training and hopefully you get that BQ soon. You're certainly in shape for it.