~8 miles @ ~10 min/mi

The MCRRC "Shooting Starr" is a fun local run, the lineal descendant of my first-ever footrace (see JogLogFog, 2002). This year I leave home at ~6am and trot along sidewalks the 2+ miles to Sligo Middle School. I capture bib #666 for 2011 — The Beast is back! Race Director Eric Bernhardt assigns me volunteer traffic-director duty, so after helping arrange bagels and other food on plates for the runners I get a flag and vest, head out to a nearby intersection, and entertain drivers who are attempting to find the parking lot.

The race itself loops along icy Sligo Creek Trail and neighborhood streets. I manage not to fall down, push hard, and finish officially in 58th place overall, 51 of 151 males, 6 of 18 among 55-59 years old men, in a total time of 27:24 at a pace of about 7.4 min/mi. The distance is ~3.7 miles by my GPS, more than a quarter mile short of the planned 4 miles. Leading runners took a wrong turn and went straight to the finish line rather than taking a final out-and-back. No problem!

On the trek back home I stop at comrade Barry Smith's home, help him cook some bacon, pet his dog, and nosh in his basement with friends. (Thanks, Barry!) Then, jogging along Forest Glen Rd I step aside to let a fast young runner pass. She's wearing multiple water bottles on a cold day, so I ask how far she's going. She's Amber Rankin, her marathon PR is near 3.5 hours, she's training for her first ultramarathon (maybe the Bull Run Run 50 miler), lives not far away, and saw me recently with my BRR backpack getting off the Metro here. Small world! We resolve to run together soon.

(cf. Garmin GPS record, 2009-01-17 - Super Starr, ...) - ^z - 2011-01-28