Tussey Teaser #1

I knew this was going to be a tough run for me. 3.1 miles uphill and then 3.1 miles down. I suck at long climbs like this, but then again that's why I wanted to run it.
My strategy was simple: a slow but steady trudge up the mountain, and then let it all go coming back down. Of course, the problem with that approach is that the climb becomes endless. I stayed with the lead pack for a while, but after about the first mile a group of about 10 pulled away from me. I passed the first mile mark in about 7:53, which was a bit faster than I had wanted. I crossed the bridge after the first mile, and then the real climbing began. Up and up the road went, sometimes a little flat, and then there would be a cut-back and you'd by going up a 20% grade. I picked up a little bit of a stitch and that section, but I was determined to run through it. I just focused on breath, and slowed just a little. The second cut-back was the hardest: it was before the second mile marker, but not by much, so I really had no idea where I was on the course. Just before I reached the third switchback, runners started passing me on their way back down. I knew I had to be close to the top, which took a lot of the sting out of the last steep climb.
I finally hit that turnaround, and then gravity took over. About a minute after I'd made the turn around, I passed a woman who was still coming up. I wasn't quite into my stride yet, but I was moving along pretty well. But soon I heard her footsteps behind me. That's impressive: not many people can make up ground on me in the downhill. But I determined that I was going to stay in front of her, and just kept pushing the pace, lengthening my stride so gravity would do all the work.
It sounded like she was gaining a little as we passed the 5-mile mark, and even more so as we hit the last switchback a little later. That's when I really opened it up: I went hard until I couldn't hear her steps anymore. As I approached the finish, there was just a short climb, and I wasn't sure if I could hold her off. But I pushed it right on through, and finished about 15 seconds ahead of her.
I had gone up in 29:22 and back down in 22:21. And I thanked her for the pushing at the end.