Once again got my butt kicked by this race, but it sure is fun! I think it's a tough one to set a strategy on, do you hold off on the first 4 miles and use that energy or put some time in the bank with them and suffer through the last miles? I ran the first few miles with Ben and we felt a good plan would be 5 min miles and hold the pace. The first mile was about a 4:53 and we must have been passed by a hundred high schoolers during that one mile. Into the second mile the grade steepened and I felt I was braking on it so I picked up the pace. I think that was a 4:44. Just after the 5k point Ben passed me and commented about just PRing his 5k. I asked what our split was and he said 15:30. My legs still felt great but that rapidly changed as I came through mile 4. Pretty sure that I was well under my V02 max through the 5k. I held on but didn't race at all the last 1.5 miles. Albert and Nathan, I think, passed me in the last 1/4 mile.
Already thinking about how to train for this race next year. | 