As a running group conference, races became a constant backdrop for the DRSWC weekend. Not everyone raced, but a high percentage did one of the events. Some fools, like me, did all of them.

Larcher vs JimP
Much of the buildup before this year's DRSWC was focused on the Butte-to-Butte 10k showdown between our own Scott Larcher and Jim Puckett. After picking Scott up at the airport, he lamented with the race being the next day, there was not enough time for a proper trash-talking, mud-slinging, psyching preparation for the race.

Settling on no time benefit for either Larcher or JimP, the first one across the line would be the winner of the coveted $20 and immeasurable bragging rights. JimP got in the first psyching victory when he showed up for the race with his $20 pinned to his singlet, supposedly ready to hand over to Larcher.

The course was flat for the first 100 yards before beginning a mile long climb up a steep hill, that got steeper towards the top. The weather was going to be no help as it was in the mid-80s, with humidity to match. The sun was beating down on much of the course, so it was going to be a tough day.

I saw little of the showdown, as I quickly fell out of sight of the combatants. Linda Wack said that JimP quickly went to the lead, towing Larcher along up the hill. JimP had a home course advantage, as he had run the course a few months ago. Larcher was running the course with only verbal instructions.

Linda lost sight of the race, as she took the lead over both of the trash-talkers. Once the course reaches the top of the big hill you are treated to a 2 mile long downhill. This is where JimP made his move. He blasted by Linda in a hard charge to open a gap on Scott. It worked.

JimP ran 39:30?, while Scott came across the line in 40:59. Linda, who said she was not there to race, ran hard enough to finish between the trash-talkers and picked up an age-group award. Doug "IceTray" Hutchenson was the first Dead in 36:??. I jogged the race, only to help Susan Woods toward the end. She thanked me by surging at the finish to nip me at the tape. ;) Anne Davidson kicked me in the butt going up the first hill, the first of many times she would kick me in the butt over the conference. I never did see the list of times for the DRS people,as the times listed in the paper the next day were suspect.

The Track Meet
The 400 was interesting, as we got to see ultramarathoners unleashing their little used kicks. Don't laugh, I got beat by two ultra people in my heat. My race was subpar, as I never felt like I could get going. I came across the line in an untired 67 seconds. This was about 3-5 seconds slower then expected. I guess a return to the 400 meter at M@Dead 103 is necessary for me.

Pat "The Patty Wagon" Mitchell broke the DRS record for the conference 400 meter by being the first finisher under 60 seconds. He did a 59.1. This is after he had run a 90 second pr in the 10k the day before! Pat's girlfriend, Erika, won the DRS women's 400 meter run in 81 seconds.

The mile was tough. Most of the runners had just done the 400 and had little inclination to warmup. I generally just stood there waiting for the various heats to go. I got stuck in the back of the fast heat of the mile. The first heat had those planning on a 6 minute+ finish time. Scott Larcher got out kicked by Terry Froemming for the win in 5:51.

Also, in the first heat was the women's race. Michelle Kendrick blasted away from the pack of women that hung together for the first 3 laps. She set her sights on Benny Yih and nearly caught him, finishing in 6:13 to Benny's 6:11.

The fast heat saw Doug Hutchinson win in 4:4?. I got left behind early and was left to run alone. I did the same pace I do during my mile intervals at home, 5:52. My excuses? Of course I have excuses! I had run a 10k the day before, I don't run well in the heat, I was overly psyched about running at Hayward Field, I had done a 6 mile trail run on the Pre Trail that morning, I had forgotten my track spikes at home, Eugene has a lot of pollen, the DRS'ers were eating picnic lunches in the stands along the back stretch causing me to slow down to see what they were eating, I was watching the race up front too much, I was getting sunburned, and....... I could go on forever, but it was a lot of fun and I will be doing it again in St. Louis.

I think we need to add the DRS javelin throw.