I had a Salt Lake overnight Friday for work and I wanted a medium distance run at 7 min pace so I agreed to run as a pacer for the 1:30 time for American Flyers. This was the first time ever running as a pacer for me, I've hung out with the group before, and I enjoyed it. Their pace strategy is computer generated and takes into account uphills and downs. Basically the idea is that an average runner is going to take the hit on an uphill and speed up a little on the down. It was a bit harder for me this morning because you tend to train this out of yourself as you get faster. But it was awesome running a race relaxed and at a pace backed off from usual. With all the hills on this course there were some 6:35s and a few over 7, and these paces are on a pace band that you wear. With a smaller race like this it's possible nobody will run a 1:30 so I didn't know how it would go. About three of us held in a group through mile 6. Walter was just itching to bust out a fast race and I kept telling him to run the 1:30 pace and take off for 3 good miles at the end. It's too close to Boston. The lead woman ran with me until about 8 and then faded at the hills. At mile 11 the guy in third place was walking up the big hill but fell in again immediately behind me. We crossed the finish just a second under time.
Ran an easy 5 tonight in the warm sun in Phoenix.
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