Got up this morning at 4:00am. The weather channel said it was 72 outside but it was going to get cooler and rain and be WINDY. I ate a bowl of oatmeal at 4:15, something new for me.
Got off the bus at the start at 6:15am and it was raining steadily and windy, yes a HEADWIND. I tried my best to stay warm but I was pretty wet before the start at 6:45.
First mile in 7:13. My feet are already sloshing in my shoes as I cannot see the big puddles of water in the dark. The headwind is going to be nasty. I wanted a 3:05 today but weather conditions will make it tough. Mile 2 in 7:20. Not looking too good. Mile 3 in 6:59, getting a better pace now. Still can't see very much. Mile 4 in 7:00. Mile 5 in 7:05. Mile 6 in 6:48. Dropping down to the town of Veyo. Mile 7 in 6:54.
Got knocked around getting water at the aid station. They had the cups mixed up so I was handed the wrong thing and had to double back. Cost me about 10 seconds.
Time for the Veyo hills. Mile 8 in 8:11. Did not want to push too hard to save it for 2nd half. Mile 9 in 7:56. Ate my gel in this mile. Mile 10 in 7:30. My pace has slipped, but not too far to get it back later. Mile 11 in 7:45. Mile 12 in 7:19. Mile 13 in 7:05. That is looking better.
Half Marathon in 1:35:58. 7:19 average so far. I need to go negative in 2nd half.
Mile 14 in 7:10. Mile 15 in 6:56. Ate another gel in mile 15. Mile 16 in 6:45. I am now on pace for a 3:09 or better, just ran a 6:45 mile, yet the 3:10 pace team just passed me??? They are a couple minutes ahead of schedule. It started raining harder and the headwind really picked up as we dropped in to the Snow canyon area.
Mile 17 in 7:05. Holding a good steady pace. Mile 18 in 7:09. Winchester hills coming up, trying to stay strong. Mile 19 in 7:34. Hill did not kill me, overall average pace still looks good. Mile 20 in 7:03.
Ate my last gel in mile 21, Mile 21 in 6:56. Feeling strong, legs OK. Currently on pace for a 3:08 or 3:09. Mile 22 in 6:59. Mile 23 in 7:00. Mile 24 in 6:55.
Passed the 3:10 pace guy in mile 25. He was all alone. I asked him where his group of 20-plus were and he said they ran ahead. He finally slowed to the 3:10 pace. Mile 25 in 7:02. If I push the last 1.2 miles maybe I can get a high 3:07. Mile 26 in 6:38. I am passing a LOT of people now. Last .2 miles in 6:24 pace.
Final time 3:07:57. Fastest time in 3 years. I was more than 4 minutes negative in the 2nd half. Within 5 minutes of finishing I started getting cold. I normally like to hang around and talk to people I know after this race but not today, I need to get dry soon.
I ended up winning my age group (40-49) in the Utah Grand Slam for the year. I want to use this performance as a springboard for sub-3 next year. Had the weather been better I may have come closer this year. I feel very good about my effort today :) | 