Kicked Asphalt!
I managed to comfortably finish in a time of 2:53, which was good enough for 111th place overall and 13th in my age-group. I felt strong and really only dropped 10 seconds per split off of my pace the last five miles. I think I could have run faster if the mile markers weren’t messed up at the beginning of the race. According to my splits, I ran mile 4 in 7:30, mile 5 in 5:30 and mile six in 6:40. It is difficult to modify your pace if you can’t get a consistent measurement. I hadn’t planned on going out that fast but felt strong early on and ran with it. As I like to say, my ‘big gear’ was that much faster. I think I’ll give another good effort in at Charlotte. We’ll see. Weather and recovery are big factors when running back to back to back…marathons.
Other than screwy mile markers, it was a well run race. Organized expo, well manned water stops and a beautiful medal were pluses. A better course map, especially for spectators, would add to the improvement. A cold and breezy day kept some of the crowds inside, but I have run other races with a lot less crowd support. I’d run it again and recommend it for anyone looking to run a rolling course.
I took off running today, my legs are a little sore. But, not to worry, I’ll be back at it tomorrow. On December 12th I’ll be running Charlotte.
Kick some asphalt!
