Ogden Marathon. 3rd Overall. 2:35:24. This was a breakthrough race for me. My goal time was 6:00/miles, so 2:37:30. I ended exceeding that with a time just 4 seconds off my PR, but on an arguably slower course and much early in the training season. This was the 1st race of the Grand Slam, and I had to run Park City in three weeks, so my goal was to run very even pace, not gas myself, and recover quickly for Park City. I let the lead pack go from the start, but ended up with a 10-second negative split, a first for me. In addition, this was the first marathon where I did not hit any sort of wall at all. The last 6 miles I felt like I was running an open 10-k, and I got my HR up near 200. Improved fueling was a big component for this. Since I was not overly concerned about time, I walked through the aid stations and got plenty of Powerade, rather than trying to hurry through. I don't think walking cost me any time at all, because it help fuel and hydrate me. It's hard in this race to know where you are because of all the relay runners. I came up behind Sasha and passed him with a couple blocks left in the race. I didn't know until the finish, but that pass took me from 4th into 3rd, and therefore into $250. A great start to the Slam! Mile Splits/Ave HR 5:43/148 -- good slow start, low HR 6:05/159 -- well, don't want to be that slow... 5:42/163 5:50/162 5:58/161 5:53/163 -- this is an extremely low HR for me at this point in a marathon. Good sign 5:59/164 5:52/165 -- end of downhill 5:54/170 -- HR finally increasing with no more downhill 6:06/170 -- still good pace for rolling hills 6:02/174 5:57/174 5:59/177 -- 1:17:44 for half 5:59/177 6:00/180 5:48/178 -- west side of Pineview, some downhill 5:56/179 5:46/179 6:04/179 5:55/180 -- back to downhill of Ogden Canyon 5:53/180 -- starting to think about PR 5:45/181 -- really thinking about PR 5:43/181 -- where's the wall? 5:20/185 -- short mile? 6:55/186 -- long mile? 7:13/192 -- last 1.2, so 5:55 pace; max HR 199 at very end | 