So I ran today,
it was 38 degrees so I brought my gloves, a head band, my sweatshirt with the hood, and my mp3 player since I was going to be solo today and I haven't done a run solo over 30 minutes in I don't know how long.
I arrive at the start location and go to get my gloves out and I only have one. doh! well it's not that windy, so I can just put my hands in my sleeves until I warm up and it should be fine, so I grab the mp3 player and leave the headband since it doesn't work too well with the earphones which I why I brought the unibomber hooded sweatshirt. I start walking and notice that my mp3 battery is completely dead. It somehow got turned on and drained. Oh well, put that back in the car, and start to think I shouldn't be running today. Nothing seems to be going right and I'm tired from only 5 hours of sleep and it's 38 degrees and I'm wearing shorts with no gloves.
Well I somehow convince myself to just go ahead and I'm sure I will feel better about it later. So off I go. about 1/2 mile into it I realize I should have worn the headband as it's much better than the unibomber hood and since I don't have the earphones I don't really need to the hood. When is this going to get better again?
Anyway my plan was 2 mile warmup from the car to the water fountain, then mid tempo to the top of cemetery hill, then 1 mile easy back to the airport over look, then 1 mile plus at race pace on the downhill back to the park entrance which leaves 1/2 mile cool down back to the car.
About 1 mile into it, I see a doe cross the trail in front of me, not in a panic or stressed out like the deer usually are, it is taking it's time. It goes about 50 feet into the woods, stops, then turns and stares at me as I go by. Not wanting to be rude, I try to start a conversation. "So nice weather were having isn't it?". She just keeps staring at me. Of well, "Have a good run!" and I turn my attention back to the leaf covered trail. It took about 2 miles to fully warmup which worked out perfect as that was when the mid tempo part started. Now I'm feeling better, going at about 9:20 pace, nice and warm I can start to feel my fingers again, but my knees and ankles are still numb. 6 minutes of that and it's time to turn around and jog a little. About 1 mile back, heart rate back to normal feeling good, I can now feel my knees, I'm sure my ankles will be next :-). Pick up the pace on the slight down hill to 8:45, now I breathing hard, but everything seems to be working right so I keep that pace to the park entrance and then a nice easy cool down jog back to the car.
See I was right, I just went and it did feel better, now for some coffee :-)
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 23, 2007
Triangle Turkey Trot 8k
Not a lot of time for this one, so only a quick summary will have to do...
Official times
Chip Time - 45:22 9:07
Gun Time - 45:54 9:14
1 mile fun run, Lilyan ran almost the whole way, except for a couple short rides in the jogger, and one shortcut :-). During this part that I was using as a warmup, my legs were cramping from the yard work on Wednesday so I didn't have much hope for the run.
After the fun run, I had to go to the bathroom, but all the port o john's were across Cary Parkway in the IO sports parking lot. So I had about 6 minutes to run over, go, then run back before the start. I decided to go for it. that was a good decision. But just as I get back, I had about one minute to rest and talk when the horn sounded.
mile 1
1.03 miles, 8:31 / mile, 158 ave hr
It took me about 35 seconds to get to the start line, then it was extremely crowded, but the sidewalk was clear so I hoped up to the sidewalk and took off. I wanted to do about 9:10-9:15 pace, so 8:31 was a bit fast...
mile 2
1.01 miles, 9:04 / mile, 166 ave hr
now right on pace, Melisa passed me here saying she was going to try to do 9 min pace, but she was gone in a matter of minutes and I didn't see her again. She ended up with an 8:53 pace
mile 3
1.00 miles, 9:06 / mile, 170 ave hr
still right on pace even though this mile and the last were mostly up hill.
mile 4
.97 miles, 8:49 / mile, 171 ave hr
This mile was awesome as we finally got a nice long downhill to recover so I picked up the pace and tried to relax.
mile 5
1.05 miles, 9:24 / mile, 173 ave hr
This mile was really tough, so much for a negative split, but I finished strong and got a 2 minute PR for an 8K, woo hoo
one more race for the year...
Official times
Chip Time - 45:22 9:07
Gun Time - 45:54 9:14
1 mile fun run, Lilyan ran almost the whole way, except for a couple short rides in the jogger, and one shortcut :-). During this part that I was using as a warmup, my legs were cramping from the yard work on Wednesday so I didn't have much hope for the run.
After the fun run, I had to go to the bathroom, but all the port o john's were across Cary Parkway in the IO sports parking lot. So I had about 6 minutes to run over, go, then run back before the start. I decided to go for it. that was a good decision. But just as I get back, I had about one minute to rest and talk when the horn sounded.
mile 1
1.03 miles, 8:31 / mile, 158 ave hr
It took me about 35 seconds to get to the start line, then it was extremely crowded, but the sidewalk was clear so I hoped up to the sidewalk and took off. I wanted to do about 9:10-9:15 pace, so 8:31 was a bit fast...
mile 2
1.01 miles, 9:04 / mile, 166 ave hr
now right on pace, Melisa passed me here saying she was going to try to do 9 min pace, but she was gone in a matter of minutes and I didn't see her again. She ended up with an 8:53 pace
mile 3
1.00 miles, 9:06 / mile, 170 ave hr
still right on pace even though this mile and the last were mostly up hill.
mile 4
.97 miles, 8:49 / mile, 171 ave hr
This mile was awesome as we finally got a nice long downhill to recover so I picked up the pace and tried to relax.
mile 5
1.05 miles, 9:24 / mile, 173 ave hr
This mile was really tough, so much for a negative split, but I finished strong and got a 2 minute PR for an 8K, woo hoo
one more race for the year...
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Apex Turkey Trot 5k
This was my first year doing this race. I arrived at the park around 9, got my packet, put it back in the car, then headed out for a short 10 min warmup. My car was parked about 1/2 mile from the start so I planned to wear my sweatshirt to avoid being cold waiting for the start and to just through it on my car as I went by.
If you want to run a fast 5k, you have to start in the front. I did not know this. So I started in the back to avoid going out too fast. The problem is that it is all run within the Apex community park, and the roads are not very wide. Then after about 3/4 of a mile the route transitions to a walkway around the lake. The path is only wide enough for about 3 runners wide and if you get stuck behind a group that is going slower than you, then you have to wait for the side to be wide enough and safe enough to go by and have to avoid all the other people trying to go by. Let's just say the first mile was very stressful. Other than the sweatshirt handoff to the hood of my car, which went perfectly, there was a lot of not being able to get into a stride without tripping over someone running.
Mile 1 8:53 - Definitely did not go out too fast.
There was a small hill around mile 1 that stretched out the field of "I started too fast" people in front of me, so the next mile was great, the course was bumpy, couldn't even call it rolling and I was passing people so I was happy.
Mile 2 8:41, about the pace I wanted to run.
the last mile started off well, still on the lake, but I knew there was a hill to climb to get back to the start since I had warmed up on that part of the course. When I got to the hill I was still feeling good, but when I got to the top I was hurting so I had to ease off a bit to let my heart rate lower so I could make it to the finish. Then there was a short downhill followed by one more short uphill to the finish.
Mile 3 8:53, not bad for the last mile with that hill.
Then the finish sprint was .12 miles in :54 seconds for a final unofficial time of
27:11.
Picked up up some chick fillet nuggets, fruit and a couple gatorades and was off. The other problem with this race is the course is on the park roads which remain closed until the last walkers finish, so we had to wait to leave. Normally this isn't a problem as I like to hand around afterwards, but we had some XMas shopping to do and I wanted to get going.
Overall I think it's a good race, but wouldn't recommend it if you are in a hurry to leave after, or want to run fast. But great for the family as the Chick Fillet cow was there and there was a guy dressed up as a turkey that ran the course as well. They also gave out finisher plaques to the under 11 kids just for finishing. Maybe when the kid is old enough to make it 3 miles We'll come back to do this one :-)
If you want to run a fast 5k, you have to start in the front. I did not know this. So I started in the back to avoid going out too fast. The problem is that it is all run within the Apex community park, and the roads are not very wide. Then after about 3/4 of a mile the route transitions to a walkway around the lake. The path is only wide enough for about 3 runners wide and if you get stuck behind a group that is going slower than you, then you have to wait for the side to be wide enough and safe enough to go by and have to avoid all the other people trying to go by. Let's just say the first mile was very stressful. Other than the sweatshirt handoff to the hood of my car, which went perfectly, there was a lot of not being able to get into a stride without tripping over someone running.
Mile 1 8:53 - Definitely did not go out too fast.
There was a small hill around mile 1 that stretched out the field of "I started too fast" people in front of me, so the next mile was great, the course was bumpy, couldn't even call it rolling and I was passing people so I was happy.
Mile 2 8:41, about the pace I wanted to run.
the last mile started off well, still on the lake, but I knew there was a hill to climb to get back to the start since I had warmed up on that part of the course. When I got to the hill I was still feeling good, but when I got to the top I was hurting so I had to ease off a bit to let my heart rate lower so I could make it to the finish. Then there was a short downhill followed by one more short uphill to the finish.
Mile 3 8:53, not bad for the last mile with that hill.
Then the finish sprint was .12 miles in :54 seconds for a final unofficial time of
27:11.
Picked up up some chick fillet nuggets, fruit and a couple gatorades and was off. The other problem with this race is the course is on the park roads which remain closed until the last walkers finish, so we had to wait to leave. Normally this isn't a problem as I like to hand around afterwards, but we had some XMas shopping to do and I wanted to get going.
Overall I think it's a good race, but wouldn't recommend it if you are in a hurry to leave after, or want to run fast. But great for the family as the Chick Fillet cow was there and there was a guy dressed up as a turkey that ran the course as well. They also gave out finisher plaques to the under 11 kids just for finishing. Maybe when the kid is old enough to make it 3 miles We'll come back to do this one :-)
The 2008 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim
yes I signed up for this. I was looking for a new challenge and I remember my friend Melisa ( with one S ) saying that this swim looked like fun. Well that's not what she said, but translated, that's what it means.
Here is the website
http://www.bayswim.com/
4.4 miles of swimming in the Chesapeake bay, now doesn't that sound like fun?
I entered the lottery because it was free and was on of the lucky ones, they only accept 600, to get picked, so I put in my $250 and now I am committed. At the very least it's another reason to use the pool :-). I have read some of the race reports from last year and if I can quote one of my favorite sayings, it doesn't look that bad.
Here is the website
http://www.bayswim.com/
4.4 miles of swimming in the Chesapeake bay, now doesn't that sound like fun?
I entered the lottery because it was free and was on of the lucky ones, they only accept 600, to get picked, so I put in my $250 and now I am committed. At the very least it's another reason to use the pool :-). I have read some of the race reports from last year and if I can quote one of my favorite sayings, it doesn't look that bad.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Cool new route
Today's plan was for me to park at Lake Johnson, Then Cindy would pick me up and we would drive to the art museum to do a point to point route on some greenway that we've both wanted to run. It was a little cold to start, but the sun and the hills quickly warmed me up. The greenway through the art museum was great, they had art and stuff along the trail and the hills were not bad at all. Then we went over the million dollar + pedestrian bridge over the beltline and headed towards Meredith collage. After one more hill, we were on the flat to down hill section down Gorman street. This part the sidewalk was a little overrun and there was a lot of traffic going to the NC State / UNC football game, but we were talking about work and what bugged us about it so it went by fairly quickly. One thing we saw was a pickup truck with a couch in the bed with 3 college kids sitting in it. Didn't think that was legal, but they are in college so anything goes.
Next we turned onto the Lake Johnson greenway and headed towards the lake. Cindy hasn't been running as much lately so we took some walk breaks. the path here was really cool and there were a bunch of friendly looking people and dog walkers. When we got to the car, she stopped and I went to do a couple more miles. I started down the unpaved trail which was advertised as 1.8 miles, I was going to run a mile, then just turn around, but after the first mile of great flat soft path, I decided just to go ahead the do the loop. A quarter mile of so more, I came to a paved path and a bridge. After the bridge, it became more like a trail run trail, but I thought I only had about .75 to go, so no problem. A little while later I came to a fork and one sign said this way no bikes, so I figured I would stay on the main route, mistake #1, followed that until it ended at a steep hill up to a main road. I thought it was Avent Ferry and all I had to do was go up and turn left and I would see the lake, mistake #2, at the top of the hill I saw it was Jones Franklin, how the hell did I get to Jones Franklin, any way I thought I could just turn left and get to Avent Ferry and head back down that, Mistake #3, I started down Jones Franklin and when I went over the beltline I knew I was screwed. I had no clue where I was, so I turned around and thought, I will just head back the way I came and it would be about 2 miles back. When I got back to the trail I saw a nice lady walking her two dogs who told me to go back to that sign and turn right. So finally I was on my way back. But the trail was not well marked and for some reason every time I had to make a decision on a turn I made the wrong one. Finally I made it back and my total was 10.2 miles.
Luckily after I apologized to Cindy for making her wait so long she said she didn't think it was that long since she was checking out the park and the people and the dogs walking their peoples.
Next we turned onto the Lake Johnson greenway and headed towards the lake. Cindy hasn't been running as much lately so we took some walk breaks. the path here was really cool and there were a bunch of friendly looking people and dog walkers. When we got to the car, she stopped and I went to do a couple more miles. I started down the unpaved trail which was advertised as 1.8 miles, I was going to run a mile, then just turn around, but after the first mile of great flat soft path, I decided just to go ahead the do the loop. A quarter mile of so more, I came to a paved path and a bridge. After the bridge, it became more like a trail run trail, but I thought I only had about .75 to go, so no problem. A little while later I came to a fork and one sign said this way no bikes, so I figured I would stay on the main route, mistake #1, followed that until it ended at a steep hill up to a main road. I thought it was Avent Ferry and all I had to do was go up and turn left and I would see the lake, mistake #2, at the top of the hill I saw it was Jones Franklin, how the hell did I get to Jones Franklin, any way I thought I could just turn left and get to Avent Ferry and head back down that, Mistake #3, I started down Jones Franklin and when I went over the beltline I knew I was screwed. I had no clue where I was, so I turned around and thought, I will just head back the way I came and it would be about 2 miles back. When I got back to the trail I saw a nice lady walking her two dogs who told me to go back to that sign and turn right. So finally I was on my way back. But the trail was not well marked and for some reason every time I had to make a decision on a turn I made the wrong one. Finally I made it back and my total was 10.2 miles.
Luckily after I apologized to Cindy for making her wait so long she said she didn't think it was that long since she was checking out the park and the people and the dogs walking their peoples.
Cold, it's cold, oh crap, it's freakin cold
The title pretty much says it all about my thursday morning run. Woke up early, it was 30 degrees. Ate my normal breakfast and got ready to run. I had a 5 mile easy day on my schedule so I thought I would head over to the subdivison next to mine since their hills are not nearly as steep as ours and I can get a 3.5 mile loop before heading back home to check out the newly paved roads of the new phase that is going in here.
Started off with shorts, log sleeve running shirt and a fleece sweat shirt, ski gloves and a ear band. my hands were fine, other than that, man it was cold. After about 1.5 miles I was warmed up and everything felt good, except I got that feeling of I need to find a bathroom before it's too late. This neighborhood used to have some port o johns every now and then so I didn't think it was going to be a big deal, but they must have removed them recently as they were all gone. Now it was a problem. gotta walk, ok, it went away I can run again. oops it's back, gotta walk, it's not going away, I'm 1.5 miles from home and there ain't that much time left. Oh, there is some woods across hwy 50, I'll head over there. ok it's thick in there, ouch, these vines have thorns all over them. Well everything came out ok and I jogged back to finish off my 5 miles, but I now have scratches all over my legs...
Started off with shorts, log sleeve running shirt and a fleece sweat shirt, ski gloves and a ear band. my hands were fine, other than that, man it was cold. After about 1.5 miles I was warmed up and everything felt good, except I got that feeling of I need to find a bathroom before it's too late. This neighborhood used to have some port o johns every now and then so I didn't think it was going to be a big deal, but they must have removed them recently as they were all gone. Now it was a problem. gotta walk, ok, it went away I can run again. oops it's back, gotta walk, it's not going away, I'm 1.5 miles from home and there ain't that much time left. Oh, there is some woods across hwy 50, I'll head over there. ok it's thick in there, ouch, these vines have thorns all over them. Well everything came out ok and I jogged back to finish off my 5 miles, but I now have scratches all over my legs...
Sunday, November 4, 2007
City of Oaks Half Marathon
13.1 miles - 2:10:17 - 9:56 / mile pace
This race was on my schedule as a I support running in Raleigh race, not really planning to train specifically for it but since I was doing the Duke half Ironman a month and a half earlier I figured I would have no problem maintaining enough fitness to finish this healthy and happy. I didn't really want to put any pressure on myself since I had done enough of that for Duke, so when race week came and I didn't know what time it started, or where the start was, I figured it might be a good idea to look into it. With that mission complete it was also inevitable that people would start asking what time I expected to do, so I figured I better come up with one. I looked at my old PR from 2004 and it was 2:16 something and then the first half of the marathon I did in march and it was 2:14, so I thought 2:10 would be a good goal to shoot for and coach B agreed :-).
So race morning arrives and it's 38 degrees out, I have no clue what to wear since it hadn't been that cold here in a year. So I knew shorts and gloves, and decided on a short sleeve shirt and sweat shirt on top with ear warmers. Got to the race site half hour early, parked and did a short warmup jog. Felt good and warm. so on to the race.
mile 1 and 2 19:29 - 9:45 / mile
Didn't see the 1 mile mark, so first time I knew I was running a tad fast was mile 2. I felt good, was holding back and wasn't pushing so I figured, just keep going at this pace. I took off the ear warmers at the 1/2 mile mark and the sweat shirt at mile 1.25, had no idea it was 1.25, but found out later when I went to pick it up.
mile 3 9:42 - 29:12 - 9:44 / mile
still feeling good, a few hills start appearing, but nothing bad. People are still packed all around me, but hillsboro street is accomadating us with no problem. My breathing is fine, must be in zone 3.
mile 4 9:48 - 39:01 - 9:45 / mile
coming up on a gel stop for me, plan is mile 4 and 8, take a gel before the water stop, then grab a water and walk for about 1 minute to get the gel and water down. This water stop is much better than the last, the mass of people has spread out more and it's much easier to get in and out without running into or getting run over by the herd.
mile 5 10:16 - 49:17 - 9:51 / mile
The hills are starting now and that combined with my 1 minute walk break slowed the pace, but still on track as 9:55 is the goal and I feel really good. I know the next few miles are going to be rolling, so my idea is to keep 9:55 - 10:00 minute pace, then hopefully pickup a few seconds towards the end.
mile 6 9:55 - 59:13 - 9:52 / mile
Yes there are hills on this course and the long uphill journey back has begun. No problems on the hills so far, but I lost the lady I had been pacing with for the last 2 miles on one of the tougher ones. Leg strength is solid, get a little winded on the steep parts, but recover quickley when it levels off.
mile 7 9:53 - 1:09:06 - 9:52 / mile
Very happy to be maintaining this pace as it's not a labor yet. We are heading towards cameron village and I remember the next hill from the YWCA halloween run I used to do. It's not pretty...
mile 8 9:58 - 1:19:04 - 9:53 / mile
This was the toughest mile so far, I think it was all uphill. I am very happy to maintain under 10 for this one and since I know a gel/water/walk break is just ahead I pick it up a little to try to offset the next miles pace, seeing new faces now as that last mile took it's toll on the group I had been with.
mile 9 10:27 - 1:29:32 - 9:56 / mile
The walk break was perfectly placed far enough from the top of the hill so that I could eat the gel, drink my 8 oz of water, and walk for 40 seconds before the downhill section. Great placement :-)
mile 10 9:52 - 1:39:24 - 9:56 / mile
Now the hard uphills are done, at least that's what I thought at the time... forshadowing, Made it through the neigborhoods, and although it was the hardest part of the course, I like it the most as the people were out in numbers and very supportive of all the runner's. There were some drummers beating a rythm and several people losing their voices as they cheered us on. I think spectator support really carried me through this section on goal pace.
mile 11 9:53 - 1:49:18 - 9:56 / mile
This mile was really tough, I ran by my sweatshirt and thought to pick it up, but decided I didn't want to carry it for 3 miles and would drive by later to get it. It was around there were the nausia kicked in for the first time. This was a gradual uphill false flat and I was trying to get back to 9:45 pace, but I think I over did it. I slowed the pace and about 5 mins later the feeling went away. I picked it back up just a little so I wouldn't barf all over the place and forgot about it. I was still right on track thinking the last mile I could make up the time to break 2:10.
mile 12 9:53 - 1:59:12 - 9:56 / mile
I was barely hanging on to this pace when finally we started to go downhill again. woohoo. I picked it up slightly, but not too much for the second half or it would have been closer to 10. One girl running along stopped to inform me my shirt was on backwards, I told her it was on purpose to remind me, pause to breath and she inserted her own finish "that you got up early?" I was going to tell her the real reason when her running partners watch went off and they stopped for a walk break. Too bad as they were running just slightly faster than me and it would have been nice to pace off of them for a while. The real reason is because it reminds me I want to get a PR for this race and to run faster.
mile 13 10:11 - 2:09:23 - 9:57 / mile
This mile sucked! no other way to put it. I knew I had one mile to go and I knew I was right on pace if I could just hammer out a 9:55 I would have no problem breaking 2:10. But it was uphill the whole freakin mile. I passed a group of spectators talking amongst themselves that is was less than 1/2 mile to the finish so I looked at my watch and I had 4:50 to go until 2:10, so I picked it up a little. Just before the turn onto the finishing stretch I had to slow down a little or my grapenuts, powerbar, and two gels would be all over the road and I figured that would slow me down more than just slowing down a little. turned onto the finish stretch and saw the 26 mile sign for the marathon so I knew I had .2 to go. looked at my watch and it said 2:07:58. That means I got 2 minutes, no problem. I pick up the pace again and I know I am doing around 9 min pace.
mile 13.1 :53 - 2:10:17 - 9:56 / mile
So I see the 13 mile marker and I start the finishing kick, my coach is beside me on her bike yelling for me and I can see the finish right up ahead, someone I think Salman yells go Bill from the other side, I want to go faster, but I think I'm going to die so I just keep up the current pace, where the heck is that finish? I think I started the kick early, but finally there it is.
Didn't quite make the 2:10 goal, but PR'd by a bunch, so it was a great race. especially since I didn't really train specifically for it :-). That last mile really got me. I should have checked out the course before hand so I would have know what to expect, but such is life :-)
Hopefully this race will make it in Raleigh as there was a lot of support from the public and a good turnout. I definetly recommend the 1/2 marathon, the second half of the marathon looks really tough, so not a PR course, but the scenary is great.
This race was on my schedule as a I support running in Raleigh race, not really planning to train specifically for it but since I was doing the Duke half Ironman a month and a half earlier I figured I would have no problem maintaining enough fitness to finish this healthy and happy. I didn't really want to put any pressure on myself since I had done enough of that for Duke, so when race week came and I didn't know what time it started, or where the start was, I figured it might be a good idea to look into it. With that mission complete it was also inevitable that people would start asking what time I expected to do, so I figured I better come up with one. I looked at my old PR from 2004 and it was 2:16 something and then the first half of the marathon I did in march and it was 2:14, so I thought 2:10 would be a good goal to shoot for and coach B agreed :-).
So race morning arrives and it's 38 degrees out, I have no clue what to wear since it hadn't been that cold here in a year. So I knew shorts and gloves, and decided on a short sleeve shirt and sweat shirt on top with ear warmers. Got to the race site half hour early, parked and did a short warmup jog. Felt good and warm. so on to the race.
mile 1 and 2 19:29 - 9:45 / mile
Didn't see the 1 mile mark, so first time I knew I was running a tad fast was mile 2. I felt good, was holding back and wasn't pushing so I figured, just keep going at this pace. I took off the ear warmers at the 1/2 mile mark and the sweat shirt at mile 1.25, had no idea it was 1.25, but found out later when I went to pick it up.
mile 3 9:42 - 29:12 - 9:44 / mile
still feeling good, a few hills start appearing, but nothing bad. People are still packed all around me, but hillsboro street is accomadating us with no problem. My breathing is fine, must be in zone 3.
mile 4 9:48 - 39:01 - 9:45 / mile
coming up on a gel stop for me, plan is mile 4 and 8, take a gel before the water stop, then grab a water and walk for about 1 minute to get the gel and water down. This water stop is much better than the last, the mass of people has spread out more and it's much easier to get in and out without running into or getting run over by the herd.
mile 5 10:16 - 49:17 - 9:51 / mile
The hills are starting now and that combined with my 1 minute walk break slowed the pace, but still on track as 9:55 is the goal and I feel really good. I know the next few miles are going to be rolling, so my idea is to keep 9:55 - 10:00 minute pace, then hopefully pickup a few seconds towards the end.
mile 6 9:55 - 59:13 - 9:52 / mile
Yes there are hills on this course and the long uphill journey back has begun. No problems on the hills so far, but I lost the lady I had been pacing with for the last 2 miles on one of the tougher ones. Leg strength is solid, get a little winded on the steep parts, but recover quickley when it levels off.
mile 7 9:53 - 1:09:06 - 9:52 / mile
Very happy to be maintaining this pace as it's not a labor yet. We are heading towards cameron village and I remember the next hill from the YWCA halloween run I used to do. It's not pretty...
mile 8 9:58 - 1:19:04 - 9:53 / mile
This was the toughest mile so far, I think it was all uphill. I am very happy to maintain under 10 for this one and since I know a gel/water/walk break is just ahead I pick it up a little to try to offset the next miles pace, seeing new faces now as that last mile took it's toll on the group I had been with.
mile 9 10:27 - 1:29:32 - 9:56 / mile
The walk break was perfectly placed far enough from the top of the hill so that I could eat the gel, drink my 8 oz of water, and walk for 40 seconds before the downhill section. Great placement :-)
mile 10 9:52 - 1:39:24 - 9:56 / mile
Now the hard uphills are done, at least that's what I thought at the time... forshadowing, Made it through the neigborhoods, and although it was the hardest part of the course, I like it the most as the people were out in numbers and very supportive of all the runner's. There were some drummers beating a rythm and several people losing their voices as they cheered us on. I think spectator support really carried me through this section on goal pace.
mile 11 9:53 - 1:49:18 - 9:56 / mile
This mile was really tough, I ran by my sweatshirt and thought to pick it up, but decided I didn't want to carry it for 3 miles and would drive by later to get it. It was around there were the nausia kicked in for the first time. This was a gradual uphill false flat and I was trying to get back to 9:45 pace, but I think I over did it. I slowed the pace and about 5 mins later the feeling went away. I picked it back up just a little so I wouldn't barf all over the place and forgot about it. I was still right on track thinking the last mile I could make up the time to break 2:10.
mile 12 9:53 - 1:59:12 - 9:56 / mile
I was barely hanging on to this pace when finally we started to go downhill again. woohoo. I picked it up slightly, but not too much for the second half or it would have been closer to 10. One girl running along stopped to inform me my shirt was on backwards, I told her it was on purpose to remind me, pause to breath and she inserted her own finish "that you got up early?" I was going to tell her the real reason when her running partners watch went off and they stopped for a walk break. Too bad as they were running just slightly faster than me and it would have been nice to pace off of them for a while. The real reason is because it reminds me I want to get a PR for this race and to run faster.
mile 13 10:11 - 2:09:23 - 9:57 / mile
This mile sucked! no other way to put it. I knew I had one mile to go and I knew I was right on pace if I could just hammer out a 9:55 I would have no problem breaking 2:10. But it was uphill the whole freakin mile. I passed a group of spectators talking amongst themselves that is was less than 1/2 mile to the finish so I looked at my watch and I had 4:50 to go until 2:10, so I picked it up a little. Just before the turn onto the finishing stretch I had to slow down a little or my grapenuts, powerbar, and two gels would be all over the road and I figured that would slow me down more than just slowing down a little. turned onto the finish stretch and saw the 26 mile sign for the marathon so I knew I had .2 to go. looked at my watch and it said 2:07:58. That means I got 2 minutes, no problem. I pick up the pace again and I know I am doing around 9 min pace.
mile 13.1 :53 - 2:10:17 - 9:56 / mile
So I see the 13 mile marker and I start the finishing kick, my coach is beside me on her bike yelling for me and I can see the finish right up ahead, someone I think Salman yells go Bill from the other side, I want to go faster, but I think I'm going to die so I just keep up the current pace, where the heck is that finish? I think I started the kick early, but finally there it is.
Didn't quite make the 2:10 goal, but PR'd by a bunch, so it was a great race. especially since I didn't really train specifically for it :-). That last mile really got me. I should have checked out the course before hand so I would have know what to expect, but such is life :-)
Hopefully this race will make it in Raleigh as there was a lot of support from the public and a good turnout. I definetly recommend the 1/2 marathon, the second half of the marathon looks really tough, so not a PR course, but the scenary is great.
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