Hey Everyone...I first want to say thanks for all the support here on this blog, even though I am the worst blogger on it, so many nice people from here at the start and end of the race that I got to see/meet/talk with. I wasn't planning to write a race report but a few people asked so I thought I would and give my perspective on the race...
I signed up for this race about a month ago and committed to not change anything about my training or eating and just relax and see what happened. I have been running on the road only (no treadmill), since about May consisistently and I run 2-3 days a week with the AF high school girls and 2-3 days a week with a couple of my former runners who run for SUU now. My training consists of hills mondays, pickups on thursdays, and long hard run on Saturdays. I have been doing 46 miles a week for about 8 weeks. Pretty low key. My plan when I signed up was to go after about a 1:18, but then last Saturday the 21st, I did the Steel Days 5K in 16:52 (very fair course with accurate markers, not aided), and knew I was in better shape than I thought, at least for a 5k. So I changed my plan to thinking I could run maybe 1:16...
Woke up 3 am, ate, got ready and left my house at 4:20 with my sister. Parked and walked over and got on the bus...all within 5 minutes since I leave about 3/4 mile from the highschool. The entire race was super organized, and everything went off flawless from busses to the right on time start, to mile markers, etc. So...the race starts and I went out at 5:34, felt very comfortable...put my ipod headphone in one ear and apparantly relaxed too much and next mile was 5:54. It was at that exact second where I saw my mile split that I decided to run this dang race hard and get out of comfort mode or I wasn't going to break even 1:18. Next mile was 5:10, yay...started chasing sub 1:14. Aid station at this mile marker as well and alot of the team from the AFHS cross-country team was there along with the boys coach, Timo...lots of cheering and yelling...turned my music up a little and really got going once I passed them.
I think mile 4 was about the same, 5:10 ish and I saw Walter's red tanktop and started after him (sorry Walter). Mile 5 was 4:57, passed Walter and told him this pace was going to catch up with me soon, Mile 6 was 4:58. I was so happy with my splits that it gave me a ton of confidence, but I knew I had to back off a little or the end was going to be a disaster. Mile 7 was about 5:17 and then the canyon fun ended and you hit the rollers, those weren't fun at all. I knew I just needed to suck these next few miles up and then I would get out onto straight, flat roads again. I don't know my exact pacing for miles 8-10, I have a Garmin, but I don't know how to work it :) I just like it to glance at after it beeps each mile to see where I am at, I should probably figure out how to recall splits. I remember seeing splits around 5:28-5:44. Did I mention I disliked the rollers through here?
Finally back out onto roads and flat, it felt better but the pace was actually not, just keep pushing I thought...got to mile marker 11 and saw my watch at 59 and change, I was thrilled, I knew I just had to hold two 6 minute miles and I would be well under 1:13. The last two miles (6:02/5:45) were hard, but I knew I would get there, I passed the temple and got the last little hill down to the highschool, a few people cheering but I knew it would pick up as soon as I was on Cavemen blvd. Rounded the corner to that road and saw my mom, bro in law, and two of my kids...funny side not here: my girl, 5 years old, apparently thought once she saw me I would just stop, so she wanted a hug and just walked literally onto the course right in from of me, dodged her while smiling and saying "mom grab her" and then finished with a good little kick past my Dad though the finishing chute.
Immediately felt the soreness beginning, which is still very much going on today, got to chat with the lead guys from the blog (Justin, Scott, Walter, Steve) who all ran great...still can't believe the ones who did Des News and this in one week, crazy talented.
Anyways, thats my take on the race...I don't really think I am back more just really wanted to see what I could do/ put down off of training that included no mile repeats, no 1200's, no 2 mile repeats, etc, all my past stuff aided by a diet of chocolate chips and diet coke. Turns out not too bad :)
Thanks again for all your support!! |