Started from Chautauqua, up/down Amphi/Saddle/Greenman. I was eager to try out a pair of test shoes I recently acquired, the Brooks Racer ST5 , an 8oz. road race flat that seemed like it would be adequate (though not ideal) for the trail. With their bright orange color with flashy blue trim, you can't help but to want to go fast in them.
It was really warm today in the sunshine and I quickly realized that I was over-dressed with one too many shirts and gloves. I put my gloves in my pockets and just sweated it out with my short sleeve over long sleeve combo. Jogged at a quickish but not too hard warm-up pace to the start of the Amphi trail in 4:27, reset the watch and got down to business. I felt good right from the start, but wanted to play it a bit conservative and see how things went as the run progressed. A minute or two into the run, a duo of runners passed on the way down and said "hi Jeff", I think it was Aaron and said hi back, but I had a decent rythym going and did not want to stop (sorry).
I generally went reasonably hard, but never felt as though I was really pushing at PR pace. My splits were decent, but I didn't (don't) think they were near PR, so I just kept a steady pace and did not worry about it at all. Beyond the Saddle/Greenman junction, I upped the intensity a bit and was rolling good, but once I got to the final icy switchbacks, I was spinning out some on the sheer ice and was wishing I had a shoe with just a little bit of tread instead of a smooth-ish road shoe. I tagged the summit and folded over in a heap, only 4 seconds off PR. I am sure that without the ice, I would have gained 4 or more seconds. Either way, I was very happy with that time, considering that it is December and I have been kicking back in Holiday mode for a while now.
I had topped out at the same time as a woman coming up from the other side and we exchanged pleasantries. She started down Greenman about 20 seconds ahead of me and I assumed that I would pass her quickly, but she was moving pretty good and I very slowly gained on her, as I danced and slipped my way cautiously down the upper icy sections. I finally passed her at the bottom of the wooden steps, but she was not too far behind until the rocky overlook, then I think I opened up some gap on the flattish section between the spring and the Greenman/Saddle junction. Whoever she was, she was pretty quick!
The remainder of the run down was quick, but never really pushing, just getting used to the shoes I was wearing, which were OK, but not perfect for the rocky technical trail.
Splits:
Chautauqua to start of Amphi: 4:27
(Reset watch)
6:20 top of Amphi
12:07 1st Flatiron jct.
18:30 Saddle/Greenman
32:28 Green Summit
24:54 back to Chautauqua (21:27 down to Gregory lot)
1:01:49 RT
