AM: 19.1 miles total. 4 up/2 down w/ half marathon race.
I did this race last year and it was very humid and I really struggled. This year it was about as ideal as you get any time of the year. In the 40s, overcast, and almost no wind. I had planned to shoot for 1:23-1:25 based on previous workouts. I had done some 8-9 mile tempos around 6:26-6:30 pace, and I can usually run a half marathon between that and my mile repeat pace, which was around 6:07 a few weeks ago. I decided I didn't want to go out at that pace, but anything around 6:25-6:30 pace would be fine to start and try to work my way down. I didn't quite get there today, but I had a solid race. The race is decently rolling and definitely slower on the back half and a primarily uphill last mile and finish.
I got to the race early as last year I waited in line for the shuttle and didn't have more than 13 minutes to warm up. This year I got right on a shuttle after packet pickup and pretty much got right on the shuttle and over to Dexter with an hour to spare. I warmed up a very easy 4 miles, which is more than I have warmed up before, but most of my workouts I warm up 3-4 miles. In the future unless it is a workout for the race I will cap it at 3 miles. Generally, I try to do 20-25' but it was cold and did a very light jog, some leg swings (which I haven't done in years), and some strides.
I got out fine and settled into my pace and it felt quite easy so I knew the effort was right but going to get harder. By mile 6 or 7 I thought I could pick it up and did for a bit, but by mile 10 I guess I was losing motivation. I got passed a bit and didn't really bother racing too much, which sucked, but I just don't have the race frequency I used to. My heart rate apparently dropped a good deal there and I don't know if it was an error or if it was letting up slightly. I didn't get passed in the final mile or the partial, which was good. I wish I would have pressed a little bit harder but I wouldn't have been under 1:25.
Cooled down 2 miles very slow. I was going to do 3 to get a 20 miler in, but there wasn't much flat and open real estate. I am fine with the outcome though I would have thought I could have run a bit faster. I think I need slightly more mileage and get my weight back down and longer long runs (up to 18 miles or so) so that I have a lot of strength in the final miles. I will do a shorter warm up. I think my workouts were fine for getting me where I wanted to go.
For now I need to focus on recovery and the next 8 weeks to Beach to Beacon. My goal for that will be getting back into the low-6s and try to get back under 1:20 for the fall. PR attempts are out of the question this year, but that's okay. I have a time on the board and some races and goals in place, so I think I am officially back rolling.
Splits: 6:26, 6:23, 6:24, 6:27, 6:28, 6:28, 6:18, 6:35, 6:29, 6:38, 6:36, 6:43, 6:38, 6:37 (for the partial)
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