Waiting in the dark for the bus to the start line:)
getting ready to warm up:)
What a GREAT day!!Got to bed at MIDNIGHT, so 4:45am rolled around pretty quick this morning!!
I packed my oatmeal and bunch of other stuff and headed to Road Runner Sports to meet Stephanie:)
For the first time on the way to a race, I asked someone..."This is normal right? getting up at 4:45am to run 13 miles? .....her response, "no".
Plain as that. I am realizing more and more that runners are an interesting breed!
It was dark and foggy and raining all the way there...we had to stop 2 times at gas stations b/c I was about to poop my pants!! Seriously, not sure what was going on...I wasn't even feeling nervous!!
When we got to the parking area, we had to wait for a bus.
I had been thinking all the way there about the Race strategy John had laid out for me and began to wonder if perhaps 7:15 pace was going to feel too hard......I should have left myself more wiggle room....not that I was putting much pressure on myself but I DID say I knew I could run a 1:33...silently hoping now, I wasn't going to eat my words;)
We warmed up with a nice comfy 8:04 mile and then got into our racing clothes:) it was actually warming up nicely! about 50 now...but still sprinkling.
When we got to the start line, Steph was still saying how she just wasn't feeling it today....I still knew she'd be way ahead of me and I was right:)
So ....gun goes off....sub 7 on the watch and it feels great ...but that is just adrenaline, so I slow down:)
Mile 1 was a 7:18. not bad. close to target pace...but was planning to run it a bit slower...wanted to give myself room to get faster over time.
mile 2 7:25. Mile 2 was also starting to climb a bit.
This was NOT a flat course like they say "mostly flat" lol. I actually didn't mind it, but I heard a lot of the top finishers talking about how it was not a flat course and much hillier than they had anticipated
At Mile 2, a girl tried to pass me, but I made a little surge and never saw her again:D nice try lady in the pink tutu.
After mile 2, it was a slow and steady race between me, myself and I:) I picked off man, by man.....
I was the lone female amongst a lot of men, with a few women in front of me and no one behind me. (the next female finished 5 min after me).
It felt REALLY good to inch by inch, take these men out...I'm not gonna lie. I don't think it did much for they ego to see me, little blonde chick, passing them:) but it did LOTS for mine;) lol
Mile 4-8 was a slow and stead climb with no downhill. When you crest up the hill to the top of mile 8, you get about a 1/4 of a mile of down hill. Thats' the only downhill in the race:)...but I TOOK advantage of it and let my body carry me down at a nice 6min pace.....
I was actually surprised at how good and consistent my paces were from mile 4-8. all around 7:15-7:18.
I was feeling really strong. body was not hurting...I was maintaining control and being sure not to push to soon.
I know john said at mile 10 I could "GO"...but I was too chicken! I dropped down to low 7's but I knew I was going ot wait til the last mile or mile and half before I picked it up. I didn't want to risk doing it too soon and burning out. I know my body. I have a kick, but not a 3 mile kick:)
it turned out to be a good decision. I passed another guy at mile 9, another at mile 11 and ANOTHER at mile 12.5:):)
when I hit mile 12, I looked at my watch and realized that IF I wanted to go under 1:34, which I DID, I HAD to push this mile hard! I knew I had a lot of slower than 7:15 miles to make up for. I decided I was going to push as hard as my body could and go for it! I WANTED to see a 1:33 on that clock when I came to the finish line!!
I looked down at 12.60 miles and was running a 6:20 pace. THIS HURT. I mean it HURT, but it wasn't for a long duration so I knew I could tolerate it. You can do ANYTHING for 6minutes:0)
I crossed the finish line at 1:33:38 and FELT amazing!
I had a second where I felt like I was going to cry b/c I had one it! I beat 1:34 and I executed my race perfectly!
I felt STRONG the whole way. I never had a moment where I felt like "I couldn't " or where I felt discouraged. Normally I feel this way at least ONCE during a hard race, but not today:) I was holding on , knowing I was going to have some left in the tank at the end and it felt GREAT! While everyone else was getting tired at mile 8,9,10...I was picking it up, definitely a GREAT way to race!!!
I was 6th female overall and 1st in my AG. It was a perfect day:)
Here are my mile splits:
Mile 1: 7:19
Mile 2: 7:26 (wasn't prepared for some incline already)
Mile 3: 7:15
mile 4: 7:11
Mile 5: 7:20 (long gradual climb starts)
Mile 6: 7:16
Mile 7: 7:16
Mile 8: 7:18
Mile 9: 6:57
Mile 10: 7:09
Mile 11: 7:11
Mile 12: 7:03
Mile 13: 6:42
Post race:)
With our cute glasses for getting first in our Age groups:)
Relaxing in the Hot Tub with my girls tonight:):)