Backyard Burn Series Race #3 Race Report

EX2 Adventures Backyard Burn Series Race #3
November 16, 2008
Fountainhead Park
Fairfax Station, VA

Previous Best: N/A
Goal: After taking 3rd Overall and 2nd in AG at the 1st race, I've done the math. I need a 1st or 2nd place in order to alter the overall standings when all is said and done.

It's been 2 weeks since I ran back to back marathons and I'm feeling OK, but I've done some speed work and might be rundown. We'll see at Fountainhead. After what Phil reported from Race #2, it looks like Michael Vega might cause us some problems. We'll have to work together in order to beat them.

PRE-RACE/WARM-UP
Cold, cold, cold. That's how the warm-up was. Phil and I jumped in Travis' car and we promptly left Capitol Hill arriving at Fountainhead a little earlier than planned. Unfortunately, that meant more anxiety and more time to get cold. On the plus side, we had the Port-o-Johns all to ourselves. Ah, cold toilet paper in the morning...that's living.

Phil and I finally got up the nerve to check the course out running backwards thru the terrain checking out the finish area. If it was going to be close, we best be prepared -- and if the ending was any indication of what the rest of the course had for us, we were going to hurt...a lot.

RACE
Phil and I spotted Vega and Jason near the starting line along with the guy who's been beating us from the M20-29 age bracket -- we were all here, but how were we going to fare? The gun was promptly fired and we were off. Almost a 1 on the blacktop surface, a right turn into the woods and a dip into hell. The course was covered in leaves and with the recent rains from the previous two days, the highly technical terrain was only going to get harder. Up and down, the raced quickened to a pace I was unaccustomed to. Maybe at end or possibly in the middle, but the pace we were traveling at was too quick. I wasn't warmed up enough yet. Phil surged ahead of me, as did Vega, with Jason in the distance already gaining ground. 3 miles in I knew this course was going to prove difficult. At one point, I leapt across a stream Indiana Jones style barley making it as I clung onto the roots of some tree. This was madness. Mud, water and freezing temperatures were proving too much. If I didn't conserve now, I was done for. Mile 3 came upon us as we crossed the road and entered the 2nd half of the 1st loop. Nutrition had been provided, but with all my huffing and puffing I was barely able to swallow anything without choking. Hill after hill, stream after stream one's ability to sprint uphill and recover was put to the test. Without a strong core and an abundunce of speed/hill work, your day was done for. I was ready to punch the time card.

As we entered the part of the course Phil and I had just run on my mindset was "just keep them...him...someone...anyone in sight. Without a rabbit to chase, my desire was lacking. It was the first time in awhile I lacked the competitive edge that allows me to take on stronger competitors. As we ran up the final steep climb toward the end of the first loop, the course was taking it's toll. Phil, Mr. RAAM himself, pulled up and blew chunks! When I saw the course was tough, this is what I mean. Phil had run so hard and was pushed past his physical limit...and his body let him pay for it. As I passed him Phil spoke a few words of encouragement and returned to the ground. I was now in 3rd place behind Jason and Michael, but I couldn't even see them. The finish line came and went before I knew it and we were again on the open road. Vega was in sight, but Jason was nowhere to be seen. As I already predicted, I didn't take 1st or 2nd...or at the very least take 2nd while beating Vega, it was mathematically impossible to move up in the standings no matter how well I did in the final race. And here came Phil. A quick recovery and a few long strides later he was back in the race. But were we racing for 3rd and 4th or 1st and 2nd?

The knowledge of the 1st half of the course proved no more valuable the 2nd time around and my spirited waned. Why push myself harder than I needed? 3rd or 4th, I was relegated at best to 4th overall in the series. The race quickly became a fast training run. Phil was hurting and I was unmotivated and we were soon passed by another guy. Normally, I would chase, but he appeared too old to be in the M30-39 AG, so I let him go. Only later did we realize he was in our Age Group. CRAP!!! How could I let that happen? Two miles to go, we were working hard, but not too hard. Better to save a little for the last race than duel it out between us. It was then that Phil turned to me and said, "Hey, if no one passes us, let me win for the points. But if someone does get close to us, all bets are off." No problem. I agreed to the arrangement on one condition: He can't make me look bad at the end. My girlfriend was at the finish line, and though I would lose to Phil, he had to make it look good! 1.5 miles to go, 1 mile, 1/2 mile...we were nearing the finish and I said again, "You better make it look good." With a 1/4 mile to go Phil wasn't picking it up and with the finish line clearing only a few short strides ahead we had to go now. Phil failed to accelerate and with that I picked up the pace. If I was going to pull up at the end and let him win, he was going to have to work for it. Before Phil knew it he was no longer running, but reacting. 200 yds. to go and we were in a dead sprint. 100yds, 50yds, the bend in the finishing chute appeared. 25 yds! We were now visible to the entire crowd. As the crowd cheered and whistled at our last minute desperation attack I pulled up just enough and Phil made this faux breaking of the tape...only there was no tape. We laughed as did a few others as I turned to Phil and said, "I told you to make it look good!" Phil's response was priceless. "I didn't think you meant sprint!" It should be known, Phil was gracious enough to tell my girlfriend the whole story that I let him win. However, it didn't matter. Since there was no official finish line, the organizers gave us a TIE! We both came in 4th and were both awarded 4th place points! AWESOME!

Next up: BYB Series Race #4...the final course 12/6/08. I must beat Jason and Michael!

Kip Pierson
1:15:09
7:30min/mile pace (tough course!)
5th Overall
4th in AG, M30-39

Since we both took 4th this is how the podium looked...odd.
(Me, Phil, Vega, Jason, Other Guy)