Tough race for me. I forgot this course is a little slower than it looks on paper since much of it is on dirt/gravel road and you typically get some wind in the middle miles. And today we got LOTS of wind in the middle miles (mostly 3 & 4), plus these miles have some rolling hills. So between the wind and uphill I died during these miles and could only salvage the barely sub-34.
Should mention with all my complaining on the wind it didn't seem to bother Kim at all. She blew away her goal pace of sub-43 and ran a 41:35. Turns out we both got 2nd place in AD so that was kinda nice. After I died I tried to at least hold on enough to break the 45-49 course record which I new was 34-something. Good news is I was able to break the old record, but at that point the guy in my AD who beat me today had just set the new record.
Mile 1 - 6:25: This mile is net downhill and wind is a tailwind on dirt/gravel road.This is probably the right pace overall but at the .5 mile point I was at 6:00 pace - too fast - I think it cost me later when I hit the wind.
Mile 2 - 6:34: Still feeling OK but nasty headwind begins at the end of the mile. I had been tagging along just behind #2 woman runner but she has more mojo when the wind begins and I lose her as we start mile 3. Dirt and gravel ends and pavement begins.
Mile 3 - 7:02: I die somewhere in the this mile. The headwind and uphill hammers me. I do manage to pass a guy who is dying worse. All pavement for this mile. Hilly.
Mile 4 - 7:05: Another dying mile. I pass another guy who died but I also get passed by 1 or 2 guys who look like 40+ runners. Bummer. Pavement and headwind and hilliness finally end at the end of this mile.
Mile 5 - 6:43: Manage to recover a little. Wind is now a cross-wind but running on dirt/gravel section of Dam#2. Just trying to hang on waiting and wondering if the finish will ever get here.
It was great to have Tani and Tia and Mother/Father-in-law cheering at the finish. After the end I caught my breath then ran Kim in her last .5 miles or so. She sure did great, she's in better shape than I thought. | 