I had much too fast 1/2 split @1:28:36, but with the only drop in elevation, 1400', coming in the first half, I needed to bank a few minutes. I knew I'd slow down in the second half. My only real goal was to reach the 10K runners before they started, which I did with 3 minutes to spare. There at the 10K start my wife and three sons were waiting to start. My boys commented afterwards how stiff legged I run; pushing off with my left leg and hitting hard with my right. Rosalie said she could see it was me running toward them by how awkward I held myself, the way I held my right arm stiff. I broke my arm four weeks ago and still find it hard to swing. And my right leg never extends fully due to two screws in my knee. My right stride is 5" shorter than my left. What can I say...? If I had two good legs I could break 3 hours again. Mayby that won't ever happen again.
The last two miles were good. I could have kept up this pace for another mile after the finish. That's what I wanted, to feel like there was still more to give. At 52 years old and with permanent injuries, I'm happy with the run. Nice too coming two weeks after Park City, where I ran 3:45. I knew I had to do better. Park City was a little delusional for me this year, 2 weeks after a steel plate and screws into my right arm. I didn't even care to know the clock. Didn't take a watch. At Pocatello, however, I checked it nearly every mile or two, something I rarely do.
Lessons learned: keep the half pace at or a little above 1:30. |