 posted Jul-22-2007 04:24 PM
   
The good, the bad and the ugly -- JUST KIDDING!!! It's all good with this one!!!Short version -- came up just short of my stretch goal but DEMOLISHED my regular goal (under 1:00) and my PR for the distance (1:01:35). This is a pretty big race. Over 1,100 in the 10 mile race which a point to point course that is predominantly downhill.
Ran into JohnMass at the start and hooked him up with another MNRED runner who was looking to run the same pace. I will leave his RR to him... Also ran into another coolrunner (TuffonFeet) who actually lives right by the race start. There are a few rollers in there though -- here's the course elevation profile from the website:  Here's the garmin reading for comparison. I think the one above is more accurate.   So, on to the race -- no fashion report, it would be redundant. Given the course profile, the plan for this race was to hammer the downhills and survive the uphills. If everything went right, that would be 5:45s on the downhills and 6:15 on the uphills. Saw quite a few speedsters (a few of which I knew were in the masters group). Race started late and with MANY people positioned way too far up near the line. All splits below from Garmin except 10k which is a chip time. About 100 yards in, I made a sharp left over to the grass on the side of the path and sprinted for about 100 yards to get around them. Ahh, clear running room!!! Time to settle in. Passing a few runners but am right on pace! Mile 1 -- 5:45 @ 150 BPM At this point, one of my racing rivals passes me and is moving. Looks to be running 5:25ish pace. Go with him? Uh, no! Run YOUR race. Mile 2 -- 5:44 @ 156 BPM Feeling comfortably HARD, but don't think I am redlining yet. The next mile has a steep downhill that I take advantage of. It's funny how many of the people I am running with are putting on the brakes. I run wide around them and just let gravity do it's work! Mile 3 -- 5:38 @ 158 Now we come into basically a 2 mile climb. Plan was to try to do this section in 6:15ish pace. At this point, I see another boomer runner I know and decide to try to work off of him. This section is hard packed dirt and he is doing a good job of running the tangents and finding the hardest packed dirt. Stay smooth! Mile 4 -- 6:03 @ 159 -- This surprises me -- not complaining! Mile 5 -- 6:02 @ 158 Trying to get back on it in the next mile, but as you can see there still is a bit of a climb. The good thing is that I have passed the one I was working off of and am closing on the one that passed me early.  Mile 6 -- 5:51 @ 162 10K --36:41 -- this is my second fastest 10k every -- the only one faster was on a course that I think was very short... At this point I catch and pass the other runner -- Time to enjoy the downhill. Mile 7 -- 5:37 @ 158 The next 2 miles look mainly downhill on paper, but have some rolls to them that made it REALLY hard to get to my pace. My boomer competition (both of them) pass me during these miles and I am fighting my head! Mile 8 -- 5:50 @ 161
Mile 9 -- 6:00 @ 164 Gotta stay in touch! Right after we hit mile 9, I pass the one I worked the earlier hills with. Will I hold him off? The other has about a 12 to 15 second lead on me. I am giving it all I have, but don't feel like I am closing at all. With a couple of 100 yards to go, I see Coach Ron. He yells at me to catch him and I shake my head at him. Then he really yells, "Don't you shake your head at me, GO GET HIM"! So, I give it ALL I have and close the gap by at least half, but he beats me by 5 seconds. Note the HR over this last portion -- that was my max for the day. Mile 10 -- 5:44 @ 165 (extra 24 seconds due to garmin not synching with course -- 5:22/mi. pace @ 174 Now for the numbers... 58:42 official time
1/85 Age Group (2nd of the over 40 crowd)
24/1,128 Overall Once the race was over, did a short cool down and drove 4 hours to pick up KeeMan from Cross Country camp. A very busy but eventful (and fulfilling day). Finish line photos:
 Thanks for reading!
[This message has been edited by hermosaboy (edited Jul-22-2007).]
IP: Logged |
Facebook 
Twitter
i