Had a good start, a rough patch from miles 4-8, then pulled myself back together and had a good, solid race, managing 1st place in my age group, with a 1:28:32 (gun time, chip time 1:28:28, garmin time is 1:28:30). Splits: 6:32, 6:38 (+:07 adjust), 6:46, 6:48, 6:49, 6:55, 7:06, 6:51, 6:46, 6:39, 6:45, 6:34, 6:50, 0:26 (last 0.1)
Since this race is point to point, from Madeira Beach to Taylor park in Largo, we (Jenny, Jamie, and I) took two cars down so we could drop one car off at the finish line. We arrived at Taylor park a little bit before they opened at 6:00, so we waited til opening and then got into one car and drove to Madeira Beach. When we got to the starting area, it was a little chilly and windy, and still dark. But, I knew that the wind was actually from the south so there would be a slight tail wind for most of the run. I warmed up as it was starting to get light out. I had on two shirts, arm warmers, and a hat. I quickly switch to just one shirt and no arm warmers, but kept on the hat. After the warm up, I was feeling almost two warm. So, I put the hat in my back pocket (lots of room in the Race Ready shorts). It was fun to see all the usual faces, some I know well and others that I just see at races. Started off and felt really good and was immediately on a much faster pace than planned, so I backed it down to just over a 6:30, I was hoping for a 6:38 pace to go just under 1:27, so I figured the 6:32 first mile was not too fast. Next mile still felt good, 6:38 pace (but I was short of the 2 mile sign, so I hit the lap button again when I actually got there). Third mile (6:46) was still feeling good, but my pace was slowing and I couldn't seem to go any faster. The 4th mile was still a little bit slower at 6:48, but it was at the top of a bridge going from the beach to the mainland and I was thinking I'd feel better after the bridge. I did not feel better after the bridge, but slowed down even a little bit more - 6:49, which included a surge towards the end of it so I would be under 6:50. Sixth mile, once again even slower at 6:55. I was having a lot of tightness in my shins. I was thinking of two reasons I wasn't doing as well as planned. Company Christmas party was on Friday night, where, by company party standards I was somewhat restrained, but was probably still too much just two nights before a race where I wanted to do well. I also think that last night's dinner might have had a bit too much salt. On the 7th mile, I was getting more discouraged, 7:06 pace. But, we were starting onto my favorite part of the course, the stretch that runs on the Pinellas Trail. A nice straight shot, mostly shaded and flat, but with two pedestrian bridges to cross a couple of the major streets. I started saying to myself, over and over again, calm and relaxed. And finally, it started to pay off, and started to get a little bit faster. Mile 8 was 6:51. At the start of the race, I wouldn't have thought I'd be happy with a 6:51 at mile 8, but coming off of a 7:06 mile, it felt great. Mile 9, a little faster at 6:46. I was starting to come up behind people who started passing me at mile 4. People who had seemed impossibly far away were getting closer, and then I was next to them and then past them. Mile 10, 6:39. My legs felt like there was a little bit of spring in them, mile 11 was 6:45, as little bit slower but I was feeling good still. Mile 12, 6:34, almost my fastest mile of the morning. Then, just past the 12 mile sign, we turned onto a packed dirt path which ran along Taylor Lake. The wind was coming across it, and after I passed the last person who was in sight of me, I had trouble holding it. Did my best to hang on and keep pushing. As I neared the end of mile 13, I decided I had to try and pick it up a bit as I didn't want to get passed by anyone. Finished mile 13 in 6:50 and continued accelerating. At some point I could hear determined, rhythmic breathing coming up behind me, but my kick was good enough to keep me from getting passed. Clock was in the low 1:28's when I first saw it. Garmin said I ran the last 0.1 at a 5:09 pace which is probably my best race kick. Sometime at the beginning of the race someone asked me what time I was shooting for, and I said from 1:27 (PR) to 1:30, so I did exactly half way between it at about 1:28:30. I checked the results and saw that Bret, from the blog was here and come in about a minute faster than me. Tried to find him at the awards but somehow missed him. This race, put on by Chris Lauber, was extremely well down as usual. Great organization and lots of personal touches (like Bib #18 for me for my birthday date), and some of the old Florida feel, between the beach community portion, the Pinellas Trail, and Taylor Park, it's one of my favorite courses. I was happy with how the race started out, how I was able to come back from a mid-race slump, and how my finishing kick held off the person behind my by 6 seconds
Jenny and Jamie stuck together. Jenny was not feeling well, but still managed a second fastest half marathon time for her and 3rd place age group award. Jamie and Jenny crossed side by side, but the timing machine doesn't do ties, so Jenny ended up with the award, maybe they can cut it in half?
| 