Southern 6 Results

Here is the link to get to the results for the race. The photos hopefully will be there soon.
http://www.rockcreek.com/southern6.rco

My advantage in the race interestingly enough was the down hill. I started off in the group of about 7 runners leading at the start of race. The course took a different rout on the raod to get to the trails. Behind the state-side appartments, I made my move to the front going down the hill and into the start of the trails. I held my lead around the corner and up the start of the first hill. This hill is also known as "King of the Hill". With a guy at my side all the way to the top, I made a final push to take the lead at the top of the hill to be called "King of the Hill", only to get passed shortly after by the race leader. I followed close behind him until the second hill. At the middle of this hill I got passed by a the second place runner. Then going down the hill I caught up to him at the bottom of the hill. I stayed in second for the majority of the race then, seeing the leader in the distance occasionally around the turns. Coming back on the main trail the other runner caught me from behind and was able to keep just infront of me all the way to the end. I was not able to keep at his pace because I was breathing really hard. I crossed the finish line 20 seconds behind the runner in front of me offically at 27:02 and in 3rd place. My lungs were burning and I know that I could not have gone much faster. I congraduated the runners ahead of me. My friends that were there also congradulated me.

I was a little dissapointed that I could not keep the lead all the way through the race. I felt that I had trained on the hills well, and that the runners and adrinine would carry me through the race. Being that the race is at Southern, I feel that it should be a Southern student to win and defend home turf. I came up a minute short of my time goal of under 26 min. I did run the course in the same time as the winner from last year. Only the 2 runners ahead of me beat that record, which I was hoping to do. These 2 runners are on a Chattenooga track team. I am more of a long distance runner. It was the first time each of us has ran that race. For me, this is the second race that I have placed in.

Michael Huffaker measured the course distance at 4.17 miles. I calculated wanting running a 7min mile for 3.77 miles (6k). So with the real distance, I actually ran a 6.5 min/mile wich is really good for me with those hills. (A flat 5k I can average just under a 6 min/mile.) Also with the chance in course, I am not sure how that much that made a difference in my total time. Overall, I am happy with my time. I will just have to train harder for next year.