This race was part of a trip to my hometown to see my family. I wanted to participate in a large race with wave starts because I've never done it before and I wanted some experience before Boston. It's two weeks until the biggie, so I thought I would get a final check on my fitness level for Boston.
I cut back on mileage this past week as the beginning to my taper and for the race. Total of 55 miles for the weeek, including race day. Long run the preceding Sunday was 20 with 10 at MP however.
My allergies had been acting up this week, but they subsided with help from Zyrtec and tylenol by Saturday morning. It was cool and drizzly, about 50 degrees for the race for me. I started as part of the first (A) wave with others seeded at times faster than 43 minutes. I was looking for a time under 40 and hopefully under 39 minutes. Warmed up two miles and hit the portajohns a couple of times. I started in the middle of the wave on the left side knowing there was a left turn coming up in a couple hundred meters.
Started cleanly and the traffic held back the pace, but there wasn't much jostling for me. After a left turn and a right turn I settled into my goal pace and started passing some individuals who had started ahead of me. First mile split was likely 6:18 net time and I felt solid, so I started to pick up the pace a bit.
Second mile continued straight and flat and I settled into a nice rhythm. Second mile split was 6:13, right on my goal pace. Third mile was the same as I continued to pass some people and that split was 6:14.
After the turnaround I felt strong and picked up the pace for a 6:07 split. I was confident of breaking 40 at this point and wondering about going under 39. Right after the four-mile marker I felt the urge for an emergency potty stop. I pulled over into an alley and lost probably 15-25 seconds since the split for that mile fell to 6:37.
The final full mile was a bit conservative due to my GI distress, but I managed 6:22. I forgot to stop the watch across the finish as usual, but the final .22 was a pace of 5:55 by my calculations.
Very pleased with the result and performance, now I just need to figure out my GI issues. I'm looking to go somewhere around 3:04 in Boston based off my training and this finish. |