beyond early AM (12:44 AM - actually not a bad start time, because it wasn't too late or too early yet) - LEG 2 (13 for the team) Cave Creek. 7.05 miles. Tried to get a little nap at the major exchange, but I just laid there. Got up and jogged a bit of a warmup around the school parking lot a few times and figured it was time to go. (Stratus red 179.1)
By this time the team had secured a solid lead and I was just hoping I could maintain it. 1-5:33 I started out in a populated area: school, shopping, etc.. and felt okay about it all. Figured I would just ease into it. And this mile felt good. 2-5:54 I started the climbing again (this was supposed to be my hardest leg, rated Very Hard, because of length and a solid climb throughout). I really started to lose focus here. I was tired and just couldn't keep the pace where it should have been. 3-6:01, Oh crap a 6 minute mile. I am in trouble now. 4-6:02 More crap another one. I hadn't seen a soul now for over 2 miles, I hope I am going the right direction. I was going through a residential area kind of like Bloomington Hills (rolling ups alternating with more ups) and I was very hesitant about where I was going. 5-6:15 About 3/4 through this mile I finally caught someone. Way off in the distance I saw a blinking light, what a relief. 6-6:10 It's official, I suck and I want to quit. 7-5:24 I didn't feel that great, but I was very mad at myself for how poorly I ran and started to grind it a bit to try and bring it down. I thought this mile was a little quicker, but I was working hard to get there. 7.05 - Just pushed the pace on in. Cooled down for about 1 mile. I guess I gained about 30 seconds on my guy here even though I ran so bad. I guess he was just as spent as I was. (Ohana -8 Off to see Logan do his amazing thing - followed by Nick being just as amazing. It was very cool to see how real runners can just crank out amazing runs after amazing runs! AM (6:00 AM) Leg 3 (#25) 5.3 miles Fountain Hills. Got up after about 25 minutes of sleeping and did another warm up. Hit the ol' MyoMed counter and hit some of the good stuff and ran a mile to get going (Stratus red -1. The Darkhorse came flying in and almost forgot to give me the band, and I took off. The first part of leg the leg was very cool. The sun was starting to come up and I was going through this park and around a neat lake, had a little downhill, and I felt good. 1-5:23 Hooray this is the end of this, keep pushing and make up for the struggle last time. 2-5:27 Kept it rolling. 3-5:59 Now I am tired and the thrill of being done is gone. 4-5:41 Trying to use the rolling hills, but I am too tired to use the downhill and the uphill is just abusing me even more. 5-6:19 More uphill. I saw my time going up and up and just thought, "Who cares?" 5.3-1:38 (5:51 pace) I see the end and am just so happy to be done with this. I can now pass off the race to people who can fly and I can crash! Cooled down about .5 miles and just got to enjoy the rest of the race. (Ohana 5-5.8 Everyone else did amazing and the team easily won - because of great runs from top to bottom. 17:04 total for the 182(?) miles an average of 5:38/mile! We jogged in with Steve at the finish after setting up the Keiggermeister! After a great dinner at James and Lybi W's. (thanks guys and Sarah), we (our van) decided to get a few miles in. Made it up to Flagstaff and got a hotel room. Had a great dinner at IHOP - maybe the best time of the whole trip!
Steven Abraham Lincoln Hooper Pope, Just Makin' Memories, Oh My Steven!, Soccer and American Values, and many many more - Loved It!
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