Got to get in a 4 mile race this morning before heading off to West Lafayette for Thanksgiving dinner with the whole family.  This was I believe the 5th or 6th annual Galloping Gobbler 4m race which starts on the campus of St. Francis University and does an out and back with a loop through a nearby cemetery.  So everyone knows the smackdown was on between Brandon and I for at least temporary bragging rights.  We ran into each other in the registration area and did some catching up and then out for a short warm-up.  The start was delayed because people show up at the last minute to pick up there packet and expect to just zoom through...  not at a race of 3000+.  So we made are way pretty close to the front and we were off.  I knew the first mile was going to be mostly downhill so I wanted to put in something relatively fast, 6:04.  I really didn't expect anything close to that but I was going to take it, and I was feeling good.  I knew the next few miles through the cemetery were going to be rolling so I tried to ease up on the uphills and attack the downs.  There were a lot of people around and behind me so I didn't know if Brandon was back there ready to pounce at any time so I just kept my head forward and tried to focus.  Going up the last 1/4 to 1/2 mile, I still had no idea if Brandon was tailing me and I didn't want him to pull a Billy Mills on me so I pretty much sprinted the last 200 yards or so...  I turned around and didn't see him so chalk one up for Indiana! He wasn't too far back, maybe 30 or 40 seconds approx...  I don't know what our official times are yet, but by my watch I was 25:03..  Nothing blazing, but I'll take it considering the problems I've had with my ankles this year.  I was great to see him again and can't wait to do it all over, maybe a Colorado "thin air" challenge next time...

Results just posted...
                                                          Post Race, Photo by Brandon Fuller