Cranford Jaycees Firecracker 4-miler

At the start line, I had a sinking feeling that this was a very, very bad idea.

At the finish line, I was elated to have finished as well as I had.

In between those two moments was a high-quality, well-organized race with more than a thousand participants.  The course was mostly flat and the finish in beautiful Nomahegan Park was lovely. The post-race festivities were fun, entertaining and enjoyably silly (I won a pint glass for being the guy with the best legs!).

As I continue to work my way out of an injured state, I find myself in some sort of racing shape, but not close to what I was doing seven months ago.  The June 5K was a good start.  Rather than try to get faster in the short game, I decided to increase the racing distance.  Thus, this four-miler - a rare racing distance that I crushed with a 23:50 last year.

My initial confidence led me closer to the front of this start line, but while we waited I started having serious doubts.  It forced me to go out fast, for better or worse.  

I passed several people in the first mile, which seemed mostly downhill.  Was I going too fast and heading for a blowout?  My modest target was a 6:20 pace.  First mile - 6:06.

Whoa.  Do I reel it in or keep pushing?  Mile two also seemed mostly downhill and though I told myself to dial it back a bit, I was intent on catching up to the guy in front of me who might have been in my age group (in retrospect, I think it was Manuel Pereira, 10 years my senior).  Second mile - 6:12.

After I passed Mr. Pereira, I could feel him at my heels for the next mile, so I kept the pressure on. I was feeling it, though, and this thing was only halfway done. Plus, I suspected we would have to go uphill at any moment.  

However, it never seemed like the altitude we re-gained was equal to the decline we experienced.  Or maybe I was more trained than I thought.  Third mile - 6:14. 

As it often goes, I was near the leading female (20-year-old Emily Rabenold) throughout the second half.  By the end of the third mile, she was right behind me and gaining fast.  I knew this because women on the sidelines always cheer and for (and clearly point out) the first woman.  Those cheers came closer to me as we pressed on.  Once on the trail that led to the park and the finish, she passed me.

I am glad she did because With less than a half-mile to go, I now had one mission - stay on Ms. Rabenold and beat her.  Before she passed, I could feel myself fading.  My legs were fatigued and the ache in my back was setting in.  Now, I had a reason to push through the pain and kick hard.

As I furiously chased her along the park path, I passed a teenager (Drew Patterson) and a fellow 40-year-old (Jeff Staple). But in that final stretch, she had enough of a sprint to stay in front of me - by only 7/10 of a second.  Still, had it not been for the chase of Ms. Rabenold, I probably would not have won my own age group.  Fourth mile - 6:08.  Thank you, Emily, for being my rabbit!

Total time - 24:40.  Average pace - 6:10 per mile.  Overall placement - 28th of 1,124.  Age group placement - first of 72.  Not so much a comeback as a spirited return, but I will take it and move on to a 10K in a couple of weeks.