Watchung Municipal Alliance Run 2015

   One of the Fall traditions at Mountain Fitness is the Watchung Municipal Alliance Run, held at bucolic Watchung Lake and benefiting Drug Education programming in local schools.
     The race has changed dates many times, and had an unusually late one this year, November 7th. Luckily, the weather was unseasonably warm, hitting 61 at the 9 a.m. start.
     It's a small, local race, and our club provided nearly about a quarter of the entrants, noticeable in our "safety orange" long-sleeve t-shirts. For some of our entrants, it was their first 5-K, and it's a welcoming one, with a sense of familiarity and support among all the runners.
     While the vibe is low-key and friendly, the course is challenging, with a long, gradual hill up Sunlit Drive in the first mile, and a shorter, steeper climb on the Stirling Road side of the lake about a half-mile from the finish.
    As I'm getting older, I've lost what little acceleration I once had, so a 5-K is essentially a 20-minute sprint for me. With the first mile mostly uphill, it's hard to keep from hyper-ventilating, and I was jockeying with the first female finisher (a college runner), who seemed much smoother in stride and general form. We hit the mile mark in 6:49, about the split I was hoping for.
    The second mile is mostly downhill on Sunlit, turning onto Mountain Boulevard. Here's where you can make up some time, and I was happy with the 13:30 split at this point as well. \
   The final 1.1 is tricky, starting with a long straightaway on Mountain, before turning up the hill on Stirling. The tendency is to coast somewhat here and catch your breath for the coming incline. I always feel I'm going to "rig" on the hill somewhat anyway, so I try to take advantage of the "flat" while I'm there.
     Unfortunately, by this point, the field is usually spread out, and you really have to stay mentally focused  to not slow too badly.
     The hill was predictably draining, and I pushed with whatever I had left in the final, downhill 200 meters. My time was 21:25, sixth overall in the field of about 85, and about 30 seconds better than last year, when I was recovering from a meniscus injury.
      Our first-time runners really enjoyed the comradeship, and the post-race amenities of bagels, bananas, and hot coffee was appreciated.  One of our members had her-grand-daughter, who was visiting from Paris, join in the 1-mile walk. A big-city, college-aged girl, she never really experienced the small-town feel in Paris that she did at the Alliance Race. That's really what it's all about!