This race I was gunning for sub 1:07. I started out with the leaders - the first mile was 4:58, then 4:56, then I missed mile 3 and had 20:01 at 4 miles. During mile 4 (uphill) I dropped back from the leaders, and was in third place. The next two miles were 4:51 and 4:58 for a time of 29:50 at 6. A little before 6 my right leg started acting up - I have been dealing with an issue where the right leg has a restricted range of motion. This appears to be a combination of a locked up SI joint and some tight muscles, but something deeper might be going on. The result of this is that some muscles in the left leg end up having to do more work. I've been seeing a physical therapist, and that has been helping - so the issue has been more strongly manifest at the end of workouts.
Past 6 miles I was in uncharted territory. I wasn't sure how my legs would hold up - and was worried that the imbalance between right and left would continue to worsen. I also started to feel the heat. Remembering some recent workouts in which heat completely derailed me - I decided to start dumping water on myself at every aid station. This ended up paying off. The next mile was in 5:03 (34:53). Still ahead of 5:00 average - good.
Apparent disaster struck in mile 8 - I saw 40:12 at the official marker. That meant a 5:19 mile - which did not bode well for the next 5. Combined with the heat, my legs, and the course flattening out, I was very worried that sub-1:07 was out of the cards. I began envisioning doomsday scenarios of 1:10 or slower. To add insult to injury, I got passed in mile 9 by a guy named Sergio (who I later learned was once a 2:13 marathoner and US champion). Fortunately, the next two miles were 10:18 for a total of 50:30 at 10 (so mile 8 was probably a tad long). I did the math and realized that all I needed was 5:15 pace to the finish in order to crack 1:07.
However, the next mile was uphilll. I knew that if I slowed down too much on the hill, it would be difficult to make up for it later. So I hammered it. Mile 11 was 5:16 - basically on pace! Then came a downhill mile in 5:03 - after that I knew it was in the bag. I was a around 1:06 at 13 and came im at 1:06:33 - 4th place overall. Sergio gapped me by around 25 seconds.
There were a lot of moments during this race when a blowup seemed eminent - fortunately the training, prayers, and dumping water on myself paid off. I'm very happy with this result - and am excited to see what the future holds.
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