So the Civil Engineering department was paying for entries in a 5k, and once I realized I wasn't going north this weekend (although Lincoln's ski photos from Tux yesterday looked amazing) I signed up. Enough sleep after a normal-length Sox game.
Apparently someone got sick, so I got their bib, and the CEE person looked at me and said "oh, if I'd known you were serious I'd have gotten your bib." Whatever, wasn't planning to die. Then got to the start and looked around. Not a lot of competition. Lots of costumes. Gabriel, who'd never run a 5k, might be the hardest competitor.
So we ran. 45˚ and misty. Made the first couple of corners, group of 5 quickly became 2: me and Gabriel. Followed CPD down Mass Ave (kind of fun) then turn on to Putnam. No one within 50m.
I wasn't sure of the course at at Brookline the cop stopped but seemed to be going straight, so I went straight. Non-race brain would have realized they wouldn't want to run the race the wrong way up Sidney and it turned here, or remembered the course from the map, or watching this course before. Race brain did not figure this out. So I had to make a very wide turn up on the sidewalk. So did the cop. Gabriel waited. I asked if he wanted to sprint or clasp hands in MST unity. He said sprint. Well shit.
Made the turn, saw the finish, went for it. So did he. I went ahead, but he surged. Not sure if anyone will be able to declare a winner.
Good photo at the finish, but from the wrong angle.
A PR, by a couple of seconds, I think. And a W, or close to it.
And I think I got them to change my name in the results.