GW Parkway 10 Mile race Report

Crazy...I hear that alot. Feel it too!

So my best friend from high school in Germany - (really, who else would do this?) picked me up out of his way at 5:10am so we could get down to the finish line area so he could take the bus to the start and I could run to the start. After we found the trail (maybe 1.5 miles from the finish), I started off at 6am. Sun rose off to my left at 6:23am and it had to already be 65°. It was a bike trail, 2 lanes that weaved beside the GW Parkway, and back and forth across it/under it. A few boardwalks overlooking the river, saw a nice heron and many birds were out. Just me and them for the most part. Took a couple of photos. Won't get them developed until after Spokane. The city/tour busses taking racers to the start, cops getting to position to close the roads, and me. Wasn't too bad with the heat/hills, and although I missed a few mile markers, I seemed to be doing 9 minute miles and finished, arriving into Mount Vernon after a 1:20 run - with all the weaving, I know it ended up being 9 miles. That and the 1.5 miles I walked after the race - I am calling that 20! So I hung out with Dave and his co-workers (all of whom I had met at the US Army 10 miler back in 2007 - very nice people!). Was not really sure how the 40 minute wait hurt or helped. Still don't know as I have never done that before. Any thoughts??
So the race started with 2 Kenyans taking off, and us about 2 minutes behind in the crowd - over 4,000 strong. It never really opened up - even with 4 lanes open much of the way. The heat didn't get too bad until the last 2-3 miles. Plenty of water stops, and I had Dave bring me another water bottle to the start (like I started my warmup with - and I had 2 Gatorade's the previous evening). Got a little slower as the miles went on...oh - Dave ran with me the whole way - I hadn't expected that - but that was great...so good to talk to him throughout. Lots of jokes about being off my 9 minute pace and busting out a 6 minute mile at the end. Ha. I did get to an 8:50 once, but mile 9 was 9:48 and I was able to pick it up some at the end, even with the worst of the hills, ending with a 9:14. That last "sprint" at the end almost did me in with a calf cramp. Behind my right knee had bothered me a little bit on and off the last 2-3 miles. Iced it later on and it felt fine yesterday and then today on my 4.5 miles. So I finished in 1:32:38. Dave's time was 1:32:37, which is good - he deserves to beat me! Almost 4 minutes faster than my 2nd 10 miles at NYC. Certainly gives me doubts how my body will handle the last 6.2 in Spokane. I know I've done it before and I can do it!
Weather will be immensely different (highs in the 40-50's and lows in the 30's right now) which is great for me, but also no pacer or someone to run with. We'll see - maybe someone will have a similar pace out there.
Tomorrow is 7.7...see how the body is then!