Pier Park 8K

Ran the Puma Cross Country Series #4- Pier Park 8K race today. It was at Pier Park on the north side of Portland. I was originally going to run the Vancouver 5-miler in Washington, but yesterday at spinning I was invited to run with the Headhunters team. So run with a team or run by myself- I picked the team. We met at the club and piled into the Headhunters van with the temperature in the high 40's. It was myself, Denise (coach), Kevin, Julie, and Anita. Kevin has a bad knee so he was driving, but not running so I gave him my camera to take pictures. Nobody had bothered to print out directions, so we were almost late, but made it. The women's race was a 5K and it started at 9:15. The men's race was an 8K and started at 10. So the girls took off and I was at one corner cheering them on. They did two big loops and one small loop. Julie (black Headhunter shirt) and Anita (red vest) are fast
, they finished in the 7's and Denise (yellow jacket) said she slipped and felt it in her back so she slowed down and finished with an 8:30 pace.
The course had some hills and mud. They waited around for my start (top picture) and we were off. Up a hill and into a forest with 3 good size climbs and then a small loop with a couple of muddy spots and then a short downhill sideways down the hill- the camber was bad and that is where Denise had slipped, so I slowed way down and ran with my feet trying to point up on that portion. We did 3 big loops and 2 small loops. Since it had hills and mud, I didn't go very fast, just running to enjoy.
Having a cheering section at each loop was very cool. Then the girls were at the last two steep hills before the finish cheering me on and said they would run in with me at the end. They took a short cut that took them up and down a ravine, so they didn't make it until I was at the finish line- but I heard them yelling! I came across at 46:16 which is a 9:18 pace.
After that we went to Starbucks by the St John's bridge. Julie told how a guy had come up to her at the end of the race and said "you're gorgeous, want to go for coffee?" She said he apologized after she told him she was married, but you could tell she was flattered. Gutsy, I'll have to try that some time. Results came out and I was 85 out of 90 for the men and 30 of 33 for my age group. For a 9+ pace that's good, the hills slowed most. The men's winner had a 5:06 pace- he flew past me when I was on my second loop- made me feel like I wasn't moving.