Cows and Horses and Runners, Oh My!!!

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Yesterday a group of Bimblers went to Colchester, CT to run the Colchester Half Marathon.  The race was put on by Rick Konon.  Rick wants to run a laid back no frills race (No shirts or medals) to give back to the race the running community who has seen ever increasing entry fees (Hartford Half Marathon, $50 -$70).  This year’s entry fee was $12, up from a previous $2.  Rick’s wife reminded him that he has small children who might someday want to go to college, so he wanted to try and cover the cost of the race this year.  He did put out there, that if anybody thought the entry fee was too high to pay,  pay what they felt the race was worth after running it.  I’m sure he had no takers.

Gretchen and I picked up Snobody at home and proceeded to meet Guthrie and Iggy at the Exit 58 commuter lot.  We headed toward Colchester by the way of back roads through bucolic Old Lyme and Lyme.  We arrived a little after 9:00 at the Bacon Academy, with Snobody questioning my navigation skills a little, the start point of the race.  I was surprised to see a finish chute being erected.  Wow, chip timing for $12!!!  The registration was inside the Bacon Academy, which is Colchester’s High School.  Snobody, Gretchen and I were preregistered and we picked up our numbers, which also were our ages.  Interesting touch.  Guthrie and Iggy had to register, and at this time, Guthrie somehow moved to Colchester.  Check the results.

There was a little debating on what to wear, shorts or pants, but although the sun was shining, the wind was chilly, so the consensus was pants.  Overall, I think we all made the right choice.  A little before 10:00, there was a short briefing.  Basically, he said, that there was no police to stop traffic and watch out.  So we lined up on this main thouroughfare in front of the school, stopping traffic, and at 10:00 started the race on an uphill trek.  With 300 someodd runners, the traffic was having the more difficult time.  After a little less than a mile we turned onto some more less traveled suburban roads.  We traveled a couple of miles through suburban Colchester and emerged into more rural Colchester and into Lebanon.  The typical rural sights of woodlands, old homes and pastures with their farms and barns were all around us.  We saw lots of cows, some horses, a donkey or mule (I couldn’t tell the difference), and goats.  There were no cowbells, but there was mooing to push us on.  We also were immersed in their typical rural smells.

After the initial gradual climb from the start, we started into the “gently undulating” countryside.  At about mile 6 we turned onto a dirt road and came to our first slight more substantial hill.  This hill fortunately was muddy, because in earlier years, we were told it was a sheet of ice.  At mile 8 another substantial hill loomed and this one required a slowing down to walking after about half way.  The course continues “gently undulating” over the next few miles of pavement and dirt roads, until you emerge back on that main drag at about mile 11.  Now was the uphill climb to the finish line.  This time the cars had the advantage, but were generally well behaved.  Iggy and I had run the whole race together and were having a nice conversation, but it was now time to dig deep.  We didn’t say much the last two miles, but got in a groove and started eating up people in front of us.  I have to say that it felt good to be the passer, and not the passee, as I usually am.  I usually run alone in my races, but running with Iggy gave me that little extra push at the end.  Thanks for the company and strength IGGs.

This was my first road Half Marathon and I was happy with my time of 1:59.40.  IGGY finished in 1:59.38, Snobody in 1:55.12, Gretchen in 1:54.57 and Guthrie in 1:31.14 giving her the Age Group champion.  Also, her record still stands.  Good job all.

After the race, there was an unbelievable spread of food.  There were pizzas, both meat and vegetables.  Trays of macaroni, lasagna (meat and vegetarian), chili, green beans, salads, bread, and brownies.  They also had soda, juice and water.  Quite a spread for $12.  There were showers available too.

Rick Konon ran great race and he should be commended.  He kept popping up on the course offering encouragement.  I saw him no less than five times in the thirteen miles.

I would definetely keep this one in mind for next year.  Even if it is a road race.

Results and pictures can be found at www.runningintheusa.com