Race Report #4; Pacemaker 5000

I have done this race for the last few years mostly because it's sponsored by my company so I can get in for free. It's what is usually considered a fun run so they really aren't concerned about keeping results beyond the first few speedsters.
For me getting to the race was more of an adventure. I left the house early so that I could get to downtown Minneapolis in time for a warm up. However I94 west was down to one lane so I ended up getting to the parking lot 4 minutes before start time! My warm up was the run to the start line. But 'lucky' for be the race was delayed for 10 minutes because of - RAIN!
When we finally got underway in the light drizzle, I used my usual starting tactic to get clear. We run north along the Mississippi and at the first mile I was at 6:25 which was right on target for a sub 20:00 finish. Great! Soon we crossed the mighty Mississippi and turned south. Like most of the people around me I go right by the water station (although I did note the cute cheerleaders!). I was feeling really good through mile 2 but at the 2 mile marker I was at 13:20. Not good, I'm slipping off the pace. We ran in front of the historic mill district of Minneapolis, the huge mills that feed the world a 100 years ago. Then we turned onto the Stone Arc bridge back to the west side and the finish line. I'm hammer hard because I just know I'm close to 20:00. At about 300 feet from the tape I can see the offical clock and it is already reading 20:00. Dammit! I'm way off! I was really deflated and slowed a bit. However I sprinted the last few yards so that I crossed the line at 20:55. I didn't make my long standing goal however on the good side I was over 60 seconds faster then last year. Gaining 20 per mile in a 3 mile race certainly is something to be happy with.
After the finish I pretty much continued to jog to the food area, grabbed the free stuff, then headed to the Element with my arms full of banana, milk, sport drinks and muffins. Glad to be going home.