Wind was a little tough at times today and I missed my goal. However, I called on my extra fat stores to kick the tar out of the last 10k. Dropped a 6:10 at mile 26 (I think my fastest of the race) and 5:30 pace for the partial. I ran a 22 second negative split, so I'm learning the marathon you might say. A PR by 1:28, which is decent but I just ran a half PR of 1:23. No complaints. Slow, yet steady improvement. Full race report to follow.
REPORT
My goal was to run a PR but my A-goal was sub-2:45. However, with 10-12 MPH winds to start and increasing gusts to 14-18 MPH (or more I'm not sure) things were not always easy, particularly with the headwinds going into West Philly (and uphill in a few spots) and heading down Kelly Drive.
Warmed up for 8 minutes and got to the line. Security was tighter this year and I got in the wrong way on the corral. I was going to jump the fence but a guard was busting people, so I waited until he went by to yell at a group of people who jumped over and I jumped when his back was turned :-) I know they have a job to do and that is to keep us safe but if I end up in the 8 minute pace range coral that isn't safe either.
The Race (In the shortest version I can tell for a long-winded fellow):
-Start out well. Pace felt good around 6:20. Got some winds in the first 6 miles. I did not feel as good in the first half as I did last year overall
-The winds in West Philly were not fun. Around miles 10-13 I knew I had to dig deep. I wasn't suffering but I wasn't feeling bullet proof. My watch was way off, so I shut it off for a while.
-First half in 1:23:38, about a minute and a half behind schedule.
-Some tough winds out to North West Philadelphia to the 20 mile mark. I pass my running buddy Jonathan around mile 17 who is struggling. I felt bad and tried to tell him we had a tailwind coming back.`
-Around 19 miles I see Matt (FreakityPopo) and give him a shout at mile 21 in 2 hours on his way to a time I am sure he will soon post :-). I feel tired around 20 (I'm going wall up at 20?!!?). The slight uphill felt terrible. I think disaster will hit. It doesn't. I hit the turn around and my vision pulls the course into sharp focus. I started digging.
-Some tail wind in the last 10k (I think) that I couldn't feel. Some shifting winds that slowed me down around 23-24. I start passing people. I usually get stitches very late but avoided them again this year. Around mile 24 I knew I had it and pushed.
-Mile 25ish I was cruising 6:10 pace pumping my first as if I was Olympian, but actually I am trying to teach Philadelphia crowds to make some noise for an event other than loosing sports teams. #theytry
-I started kicking before the 26-mile mark and gave it heck, finishing at 5:30 pace.
-Second half in 1:23:16 for a 22-second negative split, which really came in the last mile and a half but, hey, where better? I ran a 26ish second negative split last year.
The rich, chocolatey goodness: 6:23, 6:28, 6:28 (balanced; markers were off or something) 6:22, 6:22 (balanced miss split), 6:26, 6:15, 6:36 (hill), 6:18 6:38 (hill), 6:05 (downhill), 6:16, 6:25, 6:21, 6:26, 6:25, 6:28, 6:27, 6:28, 6:30, 6:11, 6:11, 6:23, 6:26, 6:16, 6:10, 76 seconds for .23 (5:30 pace)
Many thanks for the continued encouragement, comments, and many fine examples of running and living. Thanks to Sasha (as always) for continuing this space for this community.
I'll be taking this week pretty much off completely as has been my practice for the last three marathons. I might run short and easy with Megan in Toledo depending on how I feel over Thanksgiving (I'm currently shuffling around at 1:15AM). But that won't be until Thursday or Friday at least. No real training plans until January.
Cheers.
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