OGDEN MARATHON RACE REPORT
So this race was never on my plan for the year but Riley got a few free entries for free through a friend so about 3 weeks ago we committed. As the race got closer, I was getting nervous because the longest run I had done since I have been training again is a 21 miler and the weather was looking ugly.
P.S. The weather was terrible.
So before the race Nate Blouin (who stayed in my guest room) and I met Riley to ride up on the bus. Riley had a pretty sweet set up. Tarp on the ground and the three of us were under a mylar (sp) blanket. about 20 minutes before the start it started to snow. No big deal. Snow doesn't get you soaked. I am very happy the rain waited until after the race started at least.
The gun went off and a group of about 8 formed as the lead pack. John Heslop and I settled into our pace. The goal was to run smooth and easy down the canyon through mile 8. Just a touch under 6. It started to rain a touch about mile 3 and by mile 8 it was coming down pretty hard.
Splits miles 1-8
6:00 6:00 5:57 5:46 5:45 5:46 5:53 5:52
Miles 9-17
These are the rollers. I just wanted to put forth the same effort through here. John Heslop, the Master winner Tracy Fifield ran most of this section as a pack. Up the hills I would run what felt good and down the hills I would let gravity do it's work. I think I came through half way between 1:18:15-20(1:18:15 was the official time). My stomach started giving me fits about 10 miles in anf through 15 I thought I was going to have to stop but once the rain and wind picked up I was more focused on that and my stomach let up. John and I dropped Tracy up the hill.
Miles 9-17 splits
5:59 6:06 6:04 5:59 6:04 6:03 6:10 (up the hill) 5:59 5:56
Miles 18-24
I was feeling solid still and decided to push the pace down the canyon. Right before the last aid station before the dam, I asked John how he was doing and he said his hammies were tight and told me to get after it. I just let it roll down the canyon. Hit my first half marathoner about 50 ft before the 19 mile mark and it just got thicker from there. Some were really curtious, were walking 6-8 wide blocking the whole road. At about 20, I realized I could see the guy in front of me and really focused on him. All of a sudden at mile 22 I realized someone puking over the guard rail was Riley. I shouted at him that he could finish as I went past. When I hit the bottom of the canyon, one of the volunteers told me I was in 5th. I was shocked because at the start there were a lot more guys in front of me than 5. The conditions cause a few guys to drop out. At that point I knew I was going to get 4th. I passed the guy in 4th, Jessse Dunn, right at the start of the 5k. He ran with me for about 100 meters than stayed fairly close through the next half mile.
18-24 Splits
5:27 (-130 feet) 5:49 5:47 5:42 5:35 5:41 6:00
Miles 25-26.2 (I had 26.38 on my watch)
So about a half mile into this mile I hit a thick group of Half Marathoners. I had to run a decent chunk on the grass. My legs started to really fatigue. I just tried to keep my rhythm going. with about a half mile to go an old grouchy guy pulled right in front of me on Grant with his truck and would have hit me if hadn't of come to a complete stop. My legs were protesting when I started to run again. In lieu of kicking after having to stop, I decided to high five all the spectators for coming out and supporting the race.
Splits
6:11 6:28 2:25 for .38 (6:22 pace)
Big thanks to all the volunteers standing out in the rain and all the people who came out and cheered. It was awesome.
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