I think I'll consider this morning's race as punishment for all the morally dubious things I've done over the past several months. First race of the season, and my time showed it. I wanted to start out w/a time comparable to what I finished w/last fall, but that didn't happen. I'm trying not to care, but I guess I do. I still hope I can finish in the fall w/a faster time than I finished w/last season, but I need to start doing some speedwork instead of just thinking about it.

Disappointing results aside, it was a beautiful morning. Probably 3/4 of the course was in the shade, and it was a fast (macadam) surface, which would have made for good times if I had actually been in shape. The first half of the course was harder than the second half, lots of hills. I'm looking forward to testing it again next year.

Catherine took some pictures of me before the race and I look absolutely surly. I'm not exactly a morning person, and at 7:30 a.m., I can't even fake being pleasant. I look slightly less angry in my after race pictures. I won my age group, even w/my lousy time, because hey, no one else my age likes to run, apparently. Too busy shopping at the outlet mall in Edinburgh, it would seem.

Red-faced by the river: