OK, I've had it with going out slow. That just isn't how I roll, and it has been making my times suck every time I try it. I still get just as tired at the end of the race but I lose the advantage of big time in the bank. That game is over. Prefontaine is my hero from here on out.
This year's race was a mirror image of last year's, except I was 16 seconds slower on mile 1 (trying to behave), 0,6,2,12,3, and 4 seconds slower on the downhill to Veyo. Uphill, with a better tailwind, I was 11, 4, 7, 16, and 17 seconds slower. On the top of the hump (13,14) 9 and 6 seconds slower. Going down to the overpass -3, 4, 11, and 10 slower. Up the overpass and down the other side, 5 and 13 slower.
Finally I was 19 and 32 seconds faster for 21 and 22 because I had no cramping, and had not started to hurt seriously in the knees yet. Then 6 and 4 seconds slower, even though I was feeling relatively OK except for the serious irritation of ligaments. I gained 43 and 2 seconds in 25 and 26, and 1 second in the final dash to the finish (1:22) OK, so I did gain 97 seconds by playing it conservative early on, but the price was a net 63 second loss.
This year's roadkill was way more interesting, there was one at about 14 that looked like it might still have eyeballs :)
I didn't know Pepi was so far back from his predicted time of 2:21, I don't know what else I could have done to take advantage though, because my knees were feeling so oddly weak and painful. I certainly was nowhere near my aerobic max, that's for sure. I still think I have a 2:35 in me. At least there was no cramping this year! It's time to get much, much stronger in my ankles and knees and I have the perfect trainer for it.
Everybody else was awesome, I can't wait to see the video my kid made of it. Top 40 all included!
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