Bret

With the NYC Marathon canceled, and my plans for a replacement race still up in the air, I decided to do this half marathon which was literally only a couple of miles from my house in Ozona, FL - and to use it as a workout...13 miles at MP.  So this was more of a training run than a race - glad I did it though, because it made me feel pretty good about my fitness.

Kept all of the miles except the first one which was fast, all between 6:38 and 6:52 per mile with a sub-threshold heartrate.  Felt solid throughout the 2 loop course which wound through Ozona and down the Pinellas trail to the Dunedin Causeway and back.  Mark from the FRB was at the start and we finally met in person for the first time.  He ran a PR today of a high 1:26 and was one place in front of me.  Very warm/humid and densely foggy morning with 97% humidity.  Came int 4th overall and saw lots of folks I know from the community.  Lots of fun... and keeps me on track in case I decide to to a marathon in the next couple of weeks. 

AM - easy 4 miles shake out run. No real soreness or fatigue from yesterday's workout/race.  

PM - aerobic 6 miles on the treadmill no more than 70% HRR.   

PM - busy day at work - was able to squeeze in a quick 4 miles with Richie before dark.

PM -  5 miles easy with some striders on a crisp breezy fall afternoon - very pleasant run around Feathersound.  

Read a nice article about Sebastian Coe in the Financial Times - he has a memoir coming out in December. 

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/9b3762c0-21e6-11e2-9ffd-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2BIgEEJc7

2 miles easy shakeout in Richmond Va.

So as a replacement race for NYC last weekend, I decided late Tuesday this week to do the Anthem Richmond (Virginia) Marathon.  It was close in time to the race I had peaked for, and got reasonably good reviews on Marathon Guide.

A bit gutted after this race.  No excuses - just did not get it done under 3 hours after a solid effort.   Trained very well - at least from an aerobic build-up stand-point - and I executed reasonably well in the race.  First half was 1:28, but I think the rolling hills which pushed my HR a bit in the to red zone a few times eventually caught up to me between miles 20-21 and a slow fade saw my hopes for a sub 3 hour marathon fade with it.  No question in my mind that I gave everything I had - as I was completely knackered afterwards and my HR data from my Garmin can confirm it.  

They had a pacer group for 3 hours with whom I ran for the first 8 miles and then I decided to pull away.  The sole pacer was all over the place with his pacing - (sometimes too fast and other times too slow).  After pulling away from them,  I kept expecting the 3 hour group to pass me at the end, but they never did. They must have faded worse than me. :)  With my string of 3-3:05's I should really consider pacing at a race some time  - LOL. 

This was a very pretty race course for the most part - and had a series of rollers from miles 4 through about 17 which do not seem too significant viewed alone, but at least for me, I think the cumulative aspect of them is what may have been my downfall.  The event was reasonably well organized and the weather was absolutely spectacular.  

On the positive side - this is my 3rd fastest marathon and my best in nearly 2 years.  So the training is working.  Just don't know if at age 46 if it is a race against father time that I am really losing.