Run Revel Rockies today. Goal was to go out sub 2:50 but A goal was 2:45 or better. Had a good training cycle under my belt after Boston so I wanted to really take a crack at this marathon. Pre-race stuff all week was pretty much ideal and normal, felt pretty good today. Weather was absolutely perfect too - hardly any winds, 45-55 degrees, just a gorgeous day. Got to the start line about 4:45 on the bus transport, a little cold up there at 10,500 feet, lots of snow still on the ground in the trees. For the first 15 minutes, I just laid there and watched the clouds move through the sky as the sun slowly lit the sky. It was awesome just to take in the nature and the world around me. The race itself was amazing, couldn't believe how easy the first half felt and then how much I left in the tank for the 2nd half. Here are my splits according to my garmin:
1- 6:20
2- 6:21 (12:41)
3- 6:20 (19:01)
4- 6:12 (25:13)
5- 6:18 (31:31)
6- 6:22 (37:53)
7- 6:22 (44:15)
8- 6:21 (50:36)
9- 5:59 (56:35)
10- 6:16 (1:02:51, 6:17 average pace, 31:20 2nd 5 miles)
11- 6:13 (1:09:04)
12- 6:20 (1:15:24)
13- 6:07 (1:21:31) The watch and the marathon splits are different here, the marathon split was 1:21:33, 6:13 avg pace - my watch has been off lately, so I'm going to assume the course was somewhat accurate and 1:21:33 at the half was roughly a minute faster than I was hoping to go through the half, but I felt great and it felt so easy the first 10 miles especially, I wasn't even breathing hard. Hit the hills in the town of Evergreen from 12-15, not ideal but I kept the pace super even
14- 6:17 (1:27:48)
15- 6:18 (1:34:06, 31:17, 3rd 5 miles)
16- 6:01 (1:40:07)
17- 6:17 (1:46:24)
18- 6:11 (1:52:35)
19- 6:12 (1:58:47)
20 - 6:15 (2:05:02, 30:56, 4th 5 miles, really starting to crank it up here, took the roctane GU between mile 19-20 and it was a clincher!)
21- 6:10 (2:11:12)
22- 6:14 (2:17:26)
23- 6:00 (2:23:26)
24- 5:52 (2:29:18)
25- 5:50 (2:35:08) (30:06 last 5 miles)
26- 5:45 (2:40:53)
.2 - 1:01 (2:41:52) watch splits weren't perfect obviously
total - 2:41:52, 6:10 pace for the marathon a new PR by 14 minutes! Massive day today - huge breakthrough in the marathon--finally!! It finally matches up to my 1:16:48 half PR
Most impressive was the last 10k, they usually say the marathon is two halves - the first 20 miles and the last 10k. My first 20 miles was 2:05:02 and the last 10k was 36:50. A 36:50 10k at the end of the marathon is really fast for me, I mean an open 10k in that time is good, but to close like that is even more impressive. My half marathon splits officially were 1:21:33 and 1:20:19, so a negative split of 1:14 - something I've always dreamed of doing in the marathon but only did for the first time today.
Overall, in reflecting back on the race. I cannot believe what I did. I surprised even myself. I knew I had something like this in me, but to have it all come together at once like that is just indescribable. Although one race shouldn't define me, I feel like I am a new level of runner all together now. In fact, I should be 1st wave, 1st corral at Boston now - something I set as a goal for myself earlier this year. Going to take a few weeks off now and reset the body, but am super pscyhed with this effort and the massive PR!
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