Shannock Valley HEAT Festival

Mike Maher & Rich Allen competed in the Shannock Valley Festival.  Mike did the 5K run, then joined Richy for the Mtn Bike Race.

5K RUNNING RACE:
Mike Maher
9th Place Overall
3rd Place 40-44 yrs


MTN BIKE RACE:
Rich Allen
27th Place Overall
3rd Place 50-59 yrs

Mike Maher
44th Place Overall
4th Place 40-44 yrs

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In Mike's Words:
The Running race was first and it was brutally hot. Finished 9th overall and 3rd in my age group despite faltering at the end.  The MTB race was later that morning starting at 11AM. Just to make sure it had warmed up enough. I completely imploded after mile two. I could hardly turn the pedals on the flats.  But here’s the interesting part…

Average pace for the run 7:20/mile
Average pace for the bike 7:43/mile

Now that’s embarrassing!!! 
Another point of interest: They carted a guy out with heat stroke. Pretty bad.

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In Richy's Words:
Did the MB race in the 89 F temp but tried not to let it bother me since Randy and I train in the heat.

Past the guy, Pat, leading my age group point series about 2 miles into the race and actually stayed with some of the experts for the first halve of the race but then wilted on the hills.

Past a check point and asked the guy how much further and he said about 4.5 miles to go. I'm like how far?? I didn't believe him but I didn't know so stayed on the same pace. Then a couple minutes later I hear someone yell my name out from behind me, it was Pat, and I just missed a turn! Not sure how because the course was pretty well marked. By the time I got turned around and heading down the right trail he was gone. As it turned out where I missed the turn was just on the edge of town 2 blocks from the finish.

Pat finished a few seconds ahead of me for second and I brought up the rear in 3rd. "A guy" from WV won the age group, he's really fast.

I think I'm second in points w/ 2 races left.