The results aren't much to brag about, but I got what I deserved...dang it. My performance was way down from the past few years:
Mile
| 2007
| 2008
| 2009
| 2010
| 1
| 6:37 | 6:19
| 6:06
| 6:31
| 2
| 6:20 | 6:15
| 6:31
| 6:35
|
| 3
| 6:17
| 6:17
| 6:41
| 6:50
|
| 4
| 6:17
| 6:17
| 6:08
| 6:50
|
| 5
| 6:28
| 6:31
| 6:51
| 7:08
|
| 6
| 6:20
| 6:28
| 6:53
| 7:08
|
| 7
| 6:33
| 6:17
| 7:19
| 7:42
|
| 8
| 6:30
| 6:04
| 6:48
| 7:53
|
| 9
| 6:44
| 6:45
| 7:21
| 8:03
|
| 10
| 6:59
| 7:03
| 7:17
| 8:47
|
| 11
| 7:14
| 7:05
| 7:48
| 9:12
|
| 12
| 7:10
| 7:13
| 7:35
| 8:08
|
| 13
| 6:53
| 7:02
| 6:57
| 7:33
|
| .1
| 0:41
| 0:40
| 0:36
| ?
|
| 13.1
| 1:27:02
| 1:26:14
| 1:30:52
| 1:37:29
|
As you can see, at no point did I have any chance of equaling previous years, and it went downhill from there. First, it really bothered me that the race started 38 minutes late on a day forecasted to be in the mid to high 90's. It was light enough to see well by 6:00am, light enough to read a book by 6:30am, the race wasn't scheduled to start until 7:15am, and it didn't start until 7:53am. I think they need to move the start time up to at least 6:30am. At least then when it almost inevitably starts late, it will be closer to 7:00am than 8:00am. But that said, everyone had the same conditions so I can't use that as an excuse. The reason I didn't run any faster was because I haven't been training hard enough to run any faster. I've focused on long, slow distance this year to get ready for my ultra marathon in June and pamper my PF, knee, and hip pain. I've stepped things up a little the last month or so, but then then I missed a long run to help at YW camp and only ran once the next week while on a family vacation. In the race, I felt okay about running a little slower the first few miles. I knew my training was down and I hoped by not going out to fast I might last a little longer. No such luck. I just kept getting slower and slower, getting passed gradually but steadily by a host of runners. With two miles to go I had slowed to 9:12/mi pace. About that point I saw a man about my age try to pass me. I decided I could do anything for two miles and decided to test my mental fortitude and hold him off to the finish. He tried 3 or 4 times to pass me over the next mile, but I eventually pulled ahead enough that I couldn't feel him behind me anymore. I kept pushing and passing people clear to the finish. It was a good thing, because there were three runners in my age division who finished 6 seconds, 7 seconds, and 21 seconds behind me. I would have finished 8th instead of 5th. The 4th place runner, Hal Amos, was 10 minutes ahead of me.
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