My plan all summer was to do this new race as my STG tune up. The last couple weeks I've been kind of second guessing myself and wishing I'd done Hobble or TOU half. Been soo negative about my choice to run this. First year race... Hot temps... Pretty fair if not challenging course after the first 4 miles. But in the end I'm happy with my choice to stay here and run. Hats of and special thanks to Steven and Kendra and the running store for a super job orginizing what will be a great annual race here in town.
I had my alarm set for 3:30 a.m to give myself enough time to "wake up" and take care of business for the 6 a.m starting time. However I woke up at 2:30 to go to the restroom and never could relax and fall back a sleep. So at 3:15 I got out of bed. Got dressed and went outside to jog a mile to get the process "going". It felt hotter than it's been. Temp said 71F and I was sweating by the time I got back home after only a mile. Bad sign... Went through the rest of my nomal pre race morning ish and left to catch the 4:45 bus up to the start.
Dave and I did 3.2 miles of warm up and it again felt hot up there. More negative thoughts. But I wanted to make the best of the day and before the gun went off I had ample potty stops in and felt ready to do my best.
From the gun Dave and I took of and never had anyone else to worry about.
1. 5:06- This is just a fast steep downhill.
2. 5:06- More of the same downhill but a good climb for .3ish at the end. So this mile could have been smokin.
3. 5:16- net downhill but with some rolling. Feeling ok but at times I feel like I may be going too fast. But don't dare back off because Dave is right there pushing on the gas.
4. 5:10- One small little up through the houses and then some fast downhill to the bottom and river. Dave and I are together as we start the begining of the trails. Saw Mik'L and Myler and got a drink and Gu.
5. 5:22- Mesquito trail. This is the best I've EVER run this section of trail. Started to pull away from Dave.
6. 5:24- End of Mesquito trail over to the townhomes by the river trail. Again this is the best I've ever ran through here. And as we have dropped down by the river I'm not as hot anymore. It's still dark out too.
7. 5:27- Down the river trail and through the construction to about the T' where the other trail connects. This was a solid mile through here as I hit plenty of mud through the construction area and... slowed to try and get it off my shoes once the trail was clear.
8. 5:25- Through the big turn on the river trail and ended just a little abover where our tempos end. Starting to get more light. Still feeling pretty strong. Haven't once looked at the watch or pace. So I could have been running #whoknowswhat
9. 5:31- Down uner River road and up to about the Dr's free clinic. Got another drink at the Dr.s Free pull out. Feeling strong. No stomach issues. Smiles.
10. 5:37- From Dr's free down to about .4 above the DC. Saw Myler again yelling at me.
11. 5:34- Down through the DC and over the bridge under the freeway. For the first time while going over the wood bridge I get to look back and see where Dave is... I don't see him. Puzzled because I thought I had just heard his footsteps behind me.
12. 5:33- Basically from the freeway down a mile. Still felt good and although I wasn't being pushed I wanted to keep pushing myself. Felt like I could. Legs felt strong.
13. 5:37- Down to Man-o-war bridge and off the trail. 90 degree trun east to the park. Had a hard time keeping the pace twisting through the parking lot and making the turns. But at no point did I feel I was tired or ready to stop digging.
.13 @ 5:24 pace. Through the dirt and onto the grass. No struggling finish. Felt great! Awesome finishline stuff too.
So for very low expectations... I came out pretty happy with the morning. Felt like it was a much better race effort than I gave at DesNews half in July. And I feel this is a slower overall course than that one... but conditions today were better here than they were there. Cooler and no headwind. I'm happy to get some positve running mojo going.... I needed it. Decided this moring to just #Goforit!
4 mile cool down with Dave. Now the stomach is starting it's post race junk and I had multipal trips to the potty for the rest of the day.. FML for sure on that one.
| 