I arrived to the Rockville Towncenter at 7:30pm with Karl Dusen and Matt Ernst. We got our bib numbers and chilled and mingled with teammates as well as friendly rivals in the invited runner room. This race puts on a great event and is very accommodating for the invited runners and friends with a nice air conditioned room to stretch and veg out in. A little after 8pm our GRC contingent went out for a 2 mile warm up on the first two miles of the course. I felt terrible on the warm up... I was dizzy... really dizzy... and very hungry! I was doubting that I properly prepared for the evening race. I knew i was hydrated... but i did not eat anything for some time... We got back from the warm up... I proceeded to have two gels... and it did not put a dent in the way I felt! I then approached Benedict Tender who had a personal pizza box in his right hand. I asked him if I could take a bite of his pizza... he allowed me to and within 5 minutes after the delicious consumption of pizza, I felt good to go... I can now call Benedict Tender - CHICKEN TENDER once again!
I approached the line at 8:35 and proceeded to do strides. I shared some laughs with some rivals and teammates... talked about post race festivities, the hellish heat and who was already sweating more than the other. We toed the line and just before the race was about to start, they announced the timing system was having problems... We got out for one more strider... Wilson and I laughed about how nice it would be when we got out of the start area (as it was extra hot in the crowd). The "G" word was yelled and we were off... I got out really bad in the first 100 meters... and was behind eventual womens champion: Salome Kosgei (almost taking her down as I bumped her...unintentionally of course). I was able to break out and get to the front of the chase pack... I knew the inevidable was about to happen... I was pulling away from the chase pack to form my own pack leading to the 1 mile marker... I came through in 4:51 and could barely see the lead pack of about 12 runners. 9 africans were in the pack really putting the hammer down as well as Rod Koborsi, Mark Stallings and Ricky Flynn. I stuck to my plan and did not let them deter me of that. The leaders hit mile 1 in a sick 4:32. I had a lot of real estate to make up but was feeling good. I came through 2 miles in 9:52 (5:02)... slower but I amazingly was making up ground on the leaders. As I rounded the sharp turn, the crowd was loud and that was a motivator... I hit the turn hard and went way outside... I now was looking at my prey ahead. I caught Mark Stallings (runner up in the 10k at NCAA Division II Championships a few years back) as well as a few of the africans that fell off the lead pack. I approached the coned turn around just past the 3 mile mark and saw the leaders coming towards me... I was not far back at all... Abiyot Endale was clear of the field but I was not more than 1 minute back of Demesse Tefera. As the lead runners came towards me on the opposite side of the road... I counted 5... I was 6th! 1 more to go and I am in the $$$! I made the turn at the "turn around" cone... and suddenly heard... "HEY YOU CUT THE TURN, YOU ARE GOING TO BE DISQUALIFIED!!! COME BACK!" The air evaporated from my lungs as I stopped, stated a word I cannot repeat on here and went back 10 yards or so and turned around the actual turn around cone and continued.... The way the cones were spaced and the fact I was in a bit of no-mans-land i guess caused this but I have never done this before. I am real proud how I handled the situation... I never panicked... I got back to my pace gradually and then began to look up... As we came through the grinder of a hill out of Montgomery College, I spotted Flynn up ahead. I saw him make the turn for the final mile along 355 and saw the time on my watch... I got to the turn... he had 20 seconds on me... I had a heck of a task ahead to reel him in! I made the turn, put my head down and began my long drive. I was closing the gap... slowly but he was coming back... I approached about 600 to go and felt there was a chance I could take him down... I didn't hold back for the kick... I was confident that no matter what... it would be there if I could get shoulder to shoulder with Ricky. 400 to go and I was all-in... The kick was there and I was closing ground quickly... Klim and others were out on the road yelling at me... "All-In Wiggy... You have to go hard... the finish is ahead... Get him Wiggy!" Just past my group of loyal supporters, Flynn had his own... one guy yelled... "Ricky hes coming... you gotta go". Just after this was stated, ricky turned his head back and had an extra gear... 100 to go and I continued to press but ran out of real estate. 25:04 was the time (2 seconds off 5th place)... Not the time I wanted but time went out the window today. Goal was top 10 and I achieved that!
After the cooldown, we headed back to my place for a nice post-race party. It was a lot of fun hanging out with the team, friends and some that I haven't seen in awhile.
I am now at the point in my training where I am getting the miles up for the next 3 weeks. I am going to exceed the 80mile mark these next 3 weeks and even get over 85 on the 3rd week. I am feeling good about this. I will add in some double days (something I never do).
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