Flat and Fast

The course, not me. I'm referring to the TC 1 Mile that I ran tonight, thru Downtown Minneapolis. It was awesome.

I arrived at the starting line about 6:00 p.m. and picked up my race number, Champion Chip, and T-shirt. Not having anyone to hold the shirt while I raced, I jogged to where I parked the car and dropped it off. Then I jogged back. That was my warm-up.

Big M and MMMDI, from my old running club, were running in the first wave and we hugged and chatted while they waited for the start. MMMDI's husband and her friend N were also running the first wave. Big M and I trained for the Twin Cities Marathon together and she taught me how to swear at hills. She finished the marathon, her first, in under 5:30.

We listened respectfully as the Medtronic choir sang the national anthem. I never heard the Star Spangled Banner sung by a choir before and it was quite beautiful. Stepping out of the chute, I watched my friends cross the starting line and then got back in the chute for my wave -- the 50 and over group. I chatted with a few fellow runners and then we were off.


My goal was to run this mile in 10 minutes. I thought it was a stretch, but possibly do-able. Then I set my goal to 9:55, so that if I fell short I could still make it in 10 minutes, instead of, say, 10:04. As keyed up as I was, I started out too fast and was quickly out of breath. I tried to slow down and take deep breaths to get my heart rate down, which felt like it was hovering at about 300 bpm. I really wanted to walk so that I could catch my breath, but didn't want to kiss my goal goodbye. So I sucked it up.

The race began at Loring Park, and we ran for about 1/4 mile before turning onto the Nicollet Mall at 14th street, a pedestrian mall through the heart of downtown flanked by restaurants and shops. Although I was too focused on my race to appreciate how cool it was to be running there, I did enjoy the cheering from the al fresco diners. And my friends from the first wave were cheering for me. Somebody yelled out my name, and I waved but didn't turn around to see who it was.

The corner of 8th and Nicollet is significant. That's where Dayton's, now Marshall Fields, has been for years. And on the other side of Nicollet is the IDS Tower, the first skyscraper in Minneapolis. In my mind, that's where the finish should have been. But it was not. As I approached 8th Street, I kept repeating "Just Keep Running" like I did at the end of the TC Marathon. The finish line was another block away and when I saw it, I repeated "Finish Strong".

And I did; I did not have another block left in me. Unofficial time: 9:31, which for me is amazing. The Garmin said .81 miles, but the race is USTF certified so the Garmin is wrong. The results are now online. My official time: 9:25!!! O.M.G. Division place 17/23. I don't even remember passing anybody.

OK, here's the really sick part. As happy as I was with 9:31, there was a little part of me that was thinking 9:30 would have been better because then I could say I ran nine and a half minutes. Just because of that measly one second. But 9:25--no disappointments. :-)

Afterward, I hooked up with my friends and we headed to the marathon sign up tent. MMMDI is turning 50 this year and she's running the TCM to celebrate. Some of her other friends signed up to run with her. Today was the marathon kick-off, and anyone who signed up was guaranteed an entry. The on-line registration doesn't begin until midnight tonight.

The only thing that could make this night sweeter is if I win a guaranteed entry to the TC10.