Michigan sweeps solos. Eaton wins again. Mark VT tied my score but finished six minutes earlier for second. I took third, woo woo!
No MRA so the team category was left open.
Track and details when back in Michigan.
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I was first again to pick up my map. An interesting layout, it had an odd clump of points in the south. I decided quickly that I could not reasonably expect to get them, so I plotted a sweep minus one of the upper 2/3rds, with a few bail outs. I used 2 mph. (I should probably get more sophisticated since a hill is a huge time suck and you can go fast when you stay high on ridge.)
Michelle Green won the $50 door prize. Woo woo, Michigan already in the money.
Start sounded. Many people tore out of their sub 8:00/mile pace. Not sure why! I went CCW, chasing eventual winner Hail to the Chimp. Minor trail wrong way after 32, but I realized I was on a logging road, not a park road and fixed it quickly.
What I did not fix quickly was a parallel spur. My spidey sense tingled, but I couldn't stop walking, plus there were foot prints. Eventually I got it sorted - I'll have to look at the route. 15 minutes of error?
Then it was smooth sailing again until after leaving 72. I let my guard down, but the features made sense so I was fortunately on the right spur.
I was slightly ahead of pace, so I was encouraged and aimed to do the long out and back to 82. I missed my 82 time mark @ CP 70 by 15 minutes, but decided I could haul if I really needed. It worked out well, even if I had to
Stuart Smalley myself up my final big climb towards 50.
I missed my mark for 35 by two minutes, but again decided I could make it work.
Drake White was hot on my heels back to the finish, about 75 m back. I was getting concerned - he often does well, and I have no idea how many he has. I was very glad that he didn't make a push. I would have tried to hold him off, but I was already miserable and spent and it would have been ugly.
Lost to Mark by six minutes, but he's a pretty light fit runner so no shame in that. The overall winner has gone sub 2:40 in the marathon, so that explains why he took off like a gazelle after I saw him make a gear adjustment three hours in.
Looks like a ~13 minute wrong spur error, and Garmin says only 16.5 miles. AP's interpretation sounds cooler.