STAGE 1-done

Today's race went pretty much how I planned it. Before I give you my race report, I want to say thanks to Abi Meadows (see photo below) (http://www.ultrarunningmom.blogspot.com/) She is kind enough to let me stay at her house on Lookout Mountain for the weekend. I meet her and her son at Strolling Jim. As most know, this community is small and very kind. She knew I was coming down to Chattanooga and invited me to stay with her and her family. She is an accomplished ultra runner herself, recently had a spread in Runner's World magazine April 2009 issue. Anyway, I'm blessed to have an awesome place to stay here. By the way, it was her grandparents house, built in 1900 or so, right on the Lookout Mountain Battlefield before it was a National Park, the only private house in the park. If anyone reads my blog, who has known me for awhile, then you would know how cool this is to me.

So today's race went well. I paced myself perfectly, taking in lots of nutritional fluids and was on pace for a 3:19 until 3-4 miles to go. Came in at 3:24 putting me in 13th and only 5 minutes out of 10th place. This race is all about recovery so we'll see what people have tomorrow, including me. I know I would like anything below 2:30hrs for this next stage (Raccoon Mnt). Off to recover!