On July 14, DW, older DD, and I ran in the Missoula HM.

First a bit of background: DW and I both enjoy traveling. This summer we were going to take the three kids and go to Glacier National Park in Montana and camp for ten or twelve days. This was our fourth trip there but this year we had to go later than we have in the past because DS was not home from university and both DDs are involved in sports that carry over into the summer. We saw that the Missoula HM was taking place on July 14 so we decided to sign up and run it. Older DD, who runs XC at her high school, also signed up. Missoula is a bit out of the way but we wanted to do a "destination" race and went for it. We drove the 1300 miles to Missoula and stopped in Cedar City, UT and Idaho Falls, ID along the way. It was a lot of miles, but spread out over three days, it was not so bad.

Race details

Training: I have been running consistently for just over a year. This was my third HM since October of  2012. For my first I used the Smart Coach thing on RW (I didn't know any better) and ran a 1:44. For my second I used the Ryan Hall 10 week plan and ran a 1:40. Because we had signed up late for this race I had about eight weeks to train. Using the Hall plan and taking a lot of advice from you, I came up with my own plan, basically doing one speed session, one long run, and three easy runs a week peaking at 42 MPW. Also, Bin Running, from the Penguin group, suggested that I grow a Fu Manchu (he calls it a Hulk Hogan) mustache and wear a headband because it would guarantee a PR, so I did.

Race day: My only complaint about this race was that it started at 6:00 am. That meant we had to get up at 4, get dressed, drive to the shuttle pick up, and ride the shuttle to the start. After the three day drive, it was tough to get up that early and none of us were thinking we would do so well. DW and I wanted to race it but DD's XC coach told her to go about 70% because they had just started pre-season training.  The shuttle was a school bus but it was fine.

Rather than recap the whole race, I just want to share the major details and share a few thoughts and anecdotes.

Gun time: 1:36:10

Chip time: 1:35:59  (Four minute PR!!!)

AG: 9/109

M: 73/1039

Overall: 87/3576

I started the race wanting to run the first few miles about 15 above my goal pace of 7:25. The start had a bit of an up hill so that was not a problem. The problem was the downhill right after the uphill. I felt myself going too fast and knew I needed to slow down. Sometimes you just can't slow down going downhill and I didn't. I settled in at a 7:18 pace (I looked at my watch) and just cruised the rest of the way. It felt good!! The course was relatively flat with some ups and downs and I rarely looked at my watch after the first two miles. When I settle in, I really settle in. The race itself was uneventful for me because I was in such a total and complete zone. There was plenty of water and Gatorade along the way, and I grabbed one cup of water at mile 8 or 9. The finish was cool because it was downhill right in the middle of downtown and there were a lot of people yelling and screaming. My splits were pretty consistent but there was a long, gradual uphill that I started to feel around mile 12. It was not a huge hill, actually it was not a hill at all. It was just a net gain in elevation over three or four miles that my legs felt. When I made that last turn to the final straightaway, I turned on the afterburners and I felt like I was flying! I ran mile 13 in 7:00 and the last .1 (.17 on my Garmin) was in 5:29, I think. I saw the clock at the finish and was more than happy to PR.

Anecdote 1: At mile two I noticed a guy about my age and we were going about the same pace. As it turned out, we were never more than about 50 feet apart for the WHOLE race! I used this guy as a motivator and pacer for over 11 miles because it seemed like we were about the same ability. I saw him after the race in the food area and approached him. Our conversation was something like this: Me: "Hey, I just wanted to thank you. I kind of paced off you the whole race and you helped me get a four minute PR." Him: "It's you!! I was looking for you! I wanted to tell you the same thing! You got me a three minute PR!"  I think I beat him by 10 seconds. We gave each other a hug and took a picture together on both our phones.

Anecdote 2: Also around mile two, before the crowd thinned, a big guy, with big muscles, no shirt, lots of tattoos, and a bandana wrapped around his head (you know the type), says to me "What pace are you going?" I told him I was trying for 7:25 and he replies "Ok. I'm going to pace off you for ten and then I'm going to take off." I heard him huffing and puffing after seven miles and the guy from anecdote 1 and I beat him handily. Even though he was a pompous ass, he helped motivate and push me and helped my get that 7:20 pace. I think I am a nice guy but I can be a stubborn SOB (according to DW), and there was no way I was going to let that guy beat me!

I learned two things at this race: 1) I don't think I need to drink anything during a HM. I tried to drink a cup of water but I swallowed mostly air. For a mile or two after I was burping and got a side stitch. I like to carry some CLIF shots with me but I just let them sit in my mouth for the flavor. I guess it takes my mind off the pain and I suppose the carbs don't hurt, either. b) I need to run my race. I had a strategy going it and I mostly stuck to it. It worked.

DW and DD: DW ran a 1:54. This was her second HM and she was hoping for a 1:50. She told me she went out too fast and she knew she was doomed from the start. DD ran a 1:44. The cool thing was, she was going at 70%! She carried her phone the entire time, taking pictures and selfies. She talked with other runners, stopped to chat with the little kids at the rogue Gummie Bear stand, and even ran back to throw her cups in the trash can! This was her first HM and she didn't know you can drop the cups on the ground!  If this kid races a HM, I think she can get a sub 1:30. The cool thing is that after the race she told us she had a great time and wants to run more of them after XC season. She might do the big Surf City HM in Huntington Beach, CA in February. She wants to train for it and race it and I can't wait to see what she can do.

Overall, this was a GREAT race. If you like destination races, I highly recommend this. There is also a marathon that runs at the same time. The shuttles were good, the food was GREAT, tons of great volunteers, great medals and shirts, beer after the race, nice awards, and Missoula is a very cool town.

After the race, we went back to the hotel, showered, packed, got the other kids, drove the three hours to Glacier NP and had a great time camping and hiking for the next ten days.

Sorry for the rambling RR and I hope I got my points across. Thanks for reading and more importantly, thanks for all the help many of you have given me along the way. Believe me, you people motivate me to run and I could not do it without your help.

Warming up at 5:30am is tough!

This was after crossing a cool bridge about mile 6.

Here is DD and her selfie! This was an official race picture from the website! LMFAO!!!

My dear, sweet DW!

I remembered Fuzzy at the finish of Boston...

After the race I got interviewed by the local news! Too funny!

Enjoying some Moose Drool with DW after the race.

Congrats on running a good race.. Your family are super fast and the selfies of DD is too funny.. It's like she's on a morning jog..

I know the mustache and headband will work.. Very honored to be mentioned on your RR..

Awesome medal.. Look at the size of it.. You even managed to match the top with the strip on your shorts.. You are having such a good time... I want to be as fast as you..one day.. I hope..

Wow. Great run Jack. Huge PR for you and that pic of your DD is just to funny.

Wow! The whole family kicks ass, how awesome! Congratulations on your amazing PR, and congrats as well to your DD and DW, they both ran excellent times. Great pictures, you all look very athletic, so it doesn't surprise me to see you perform like that. And your DD is going to get much faster, watch out for her! Keep up the great work, Jack, you'll be going sub-1:30 very soon!

Nice run!! And thanks for sharing the photos.  The one of your daughter taking her own picture is priceless!!

Great race Jack.  That is cool that you smoked the pompous ass and had a chance to meet the guy you ran with.  You keep getting faster and faster,  Nice job..

Excellent race.  Dropping 4 minutes off your PR in 3 months is no joke.  Well done.

congrats on the pr! and great pics too... you are sure to get  even faster... glad it was great for the family too.