Race Result

Racer:	Steve Giorgis
Race:	Rotary Resolution 10K
Date:	Saturday, January 1, 2005
Location:	Leesburg, VA
Race Type:	Run - 10 km
Age Group:	Male 50 - 54
Time:	0:39:36
Overall Place:	18 / 490
Age Group Place:	3 / 54
Comment:	First race in new AG

Race Report:

I wasn't planning on doing a RR, but so many RATs did the race and a RR, that they shamed me into it.

I decided to run this race the night before after I had convinced my wife to do the 4K walk while I did the 10K run. It was our version of a "hot date" while starting off the new year on the right foot (no pun intended).

I wasn't expecting too much as far as a fast time since I had really focused on the run the past two weeks, and my legs were a little beat. This expectation came to fruition two minutes into the race; but I managed to recover rather quickly and was able to keep pushing even though it was never really a nice smooth pace. This may have been due to the terrain of the course...mostly packed gravel or dirt roads over continuous hills, with some mud thrown in for fun. I didn't have that snap in the legs one would want in a race, but was strong enough to keep it going. In fact, I was able to drop the guy who I had been running with most of the race in the final mile, knowing that my kick is non-existant. As it turned out, I din't need a kick as we were pretty spread out for the final climb to the finish through the field and over the ditches.

Overall, I came in 18th, not too bad considering that the treadmill marathon world record holder was in the race, as well as a couple of olympic trials qualifiers, etc. Was was a shocker was that I was only 3rd in my AG! I thought that turning 50 would give me an advantage in my age group placing. Evidently not.

Overall, great weather, good challenging off-road course, and glad to see so many RATs out there kicking off 2005. Happy New Year!!