2012 Iowa Speedway "Where the Rubber Meets the Road 8k"

Race Results

Todd and I

I had mentioned I was going to do this race and Todd said he run it the year before so we convinced one another to run it this year.   I was late and paid the idiot fee.  so I waited till the day before to register but I knew Todd would be there so I couldn't back out.  When I first got there I had no idea where to go and all the parking lots were empty.  No signage or directiosn to direct racers where to go.  I finally realized that we were supposed to drive our vehicles down into the infield of the race track.    Kind of cool driving my crappy car where high end race machines have driven. :)

I picked up my race packet.  Im Bib # 206 Yay even numbers!


Lots of people here way more than I expected.   I wasnt at all prepared for this distance but I wanted to do it and it was good to get back into my running which this race forced me to do.  I really only prepared by running the previous 2 weeks I was slacking big time.

WE all lined up out on the track and bang we were off!

The course was the draw of the whole race.  You run around the race track one time then out into the parking area and down the interior roads that are part of the grounds then out on to the highway back into the parking area and around the track again.

I felt sluggish and icky as I started that morning.  I knew it was going to be one of those runs where you just feel heavy like each foot fall is a million pounds.  As we get out on the roads the first down hill begins.  Going down a hill is great until you realize that what goes down must eventually come up.  Similar to the law in physics this is the law of running and cycling.  Coincidentally I think this may also be the law of late night partying in college.

Anyway as I trudge up the first hill I begin to feel better and by the time I reach the pavement I'm picking up my pace.  Its a good thing my attitude improved because I was about to head straight into the hill that is Very long and steep.  Every one was walking it.  I refused.  I would not walk this hill I swore to myself that no matter how slow I had to go I would maintain a jog and keep shuffling if it killed me.  I passed lots of people walking this hill.  Some even better runners then myself.   It seemed to never end it just kept going and going and going.  Eventually it did crest and you could see the track again and see the Really fast people already down on the track.  I still had more than a mile left to run.

I kept my pace up and tried to regain some of the slowed time I lost on the uphill.  Making my way through the parking lot and down on to the track again I begin to lose steam and then I got passed by a really old lady who obviously had run a marathon based on the shirt she was wearing proudly.  Still what could I expect from my lack or preparation.   As I rounded turn 4 and headed up the straight away for the finish line I put all the gas I had left in my tank into finishing strong and finished with my head high and my lungs empty.

Looks like my form is horrible!

Overall I had a good time and it was good for me to get back to running.  Had a great time meeting Todd and his wife too.