Stats: 1:27:27, 11th overall, 10th male, 1st age group.
Running wise, I felt strong and was able to get a personal course
record, conquered the mile 2-4 stretch where I usually struggle (trick
was to not look at my pace at all but focus on someone ahead of me, in
this case Terri R. - I eventually caught up to her and passed her today,
but I have a feeling I can't count on that happening again), and had a
few other bests and firsts for me.
Splits: 6:35, 6:24, 6:27, 6:46, 6:23, 6:39, 6:26, 6:38, 6:42, 6:58, 6:38, 6:35, 6:42, 0.26@6:00
A few days before the race, I tried to do some tempo paced miles but struggled to get down to my goal half marathon pace. I felt like I was way off from where I was in November, and even where I was before the last race.
My goal this race was to try and get the first half of the race at 6:30 pace or faster no matter what, and then if I faded in the second half, then I faded.
The first mile is uphill to get to the top of the Clearwater Memorial Bridge, but it is the easiest of the uphills for the race. This was my fastest time doing this first mile and I was feeling energetic and excited. The second mile is downhill for about a 1/3 of a mile.
In the past I have struggled to hold a good pace for the third mile, but today I was able to hold what I needed by picking out and following someone and not looking at my pace.
The fourth mile goes up and over the Sand Key Bridge which has the same elevation, but has a steeper grade. I knew I slowed down but I managed to pass a couple of people and decided I would make up what I could on the downside.
Just past mile 4 was my running group, the Suncoast Striders, manning the aid station. They gave me such a huge boost, with about 25 people there screaming out my name, so the 5th mile was my fastest mile.
Next, I was in and out of Sand Key Park, slowed down a little and realized that my near 6:30 average was slipping away (combined with how I knew my garmin wasn't quite giving me a completely accurate pace). So, early in the 7th mile I decided I would just push it and get to the pace I had promised myself, if nothing else to about the half way point. There was a woman who had caught up to me (someone I knew that was often faster than me (she has already done a sub-3:00 marathon a few years back)), with my surge, it was enough to finally shake her - although it would have been nice if she had stayed in front and made me go faster!
Mile 8 started out good, just past the turnaround heading north again and there was a little bit of wind and I let my push slip away. Then a few more seconds slipped away for mile 9.
Mile 10 was back up and over the Sand Key Bridge again, it was my slowest mile, but I did fight to at least get back down below 7:00.
With only one more bridge ascent left, I was able to get back into the 6:30's for a couple of miles, then did a better job going back up the Clearwater Bridge.
So, a little bit faster than the last half marathon even though I went into this one feeling slower. The weather was better. And also I tried drinking beet juice the day before. I think I'll give it another try (the beet juice) sometime.
After the race was happy to cheer Marcia on her home stretch PR
marathon finish. I spent too much time chatting that I forgot to listen
for awards, but fortunately Mike S.
had my back and picked it up for me. It would have been nice to get a
PR and to get sub 1:25:00, but not at the expense of the good stuff
about today.
A few
things that the stats don't say: today was an awesome race, the decibel
level at the Striders manned aid station rivaled the Boston marathon
stretch near Wellesly College, I remembered to look left and look right
at the top of Sand Key Bridge, when I thought I was fading I found a sub
6:30 mile at mile 7, I passed a few people in the second half, and I
had a stronger last 3 miles than I did at my PR half marathon in
November.
