Notes
Plan was not to blow up on the second lap like last year. Decided to go out fairly easy on the first lap then pick it up on the second time around if I felt better. Rode down by myself so I could go to Pineland after the race and do a couple laps of the LMS course. Bob and Lisa arrived just ahead of me. Billy and Jasmine also came even though they raced 40 miles at TARC yesterday. Bob and I warmed up with Bob Poirier, good to catch up with him. Sam Heye was also there, first time I had seen him since the Riverlands 100. Good to see him also. I started towards the back with Bob, but soon after the gun went off he was quickly pulling away. I traded places with Bob Dunfey for awhile so I knew I wasn't going out too hard. Pretty soon I passed him for good and then Sam caught up to me. Ran with him for a bit, but he was moving pretty good and I wished him luck. I had a few people pass me early on but by halfway through I didn't get passed again. Power walked the steep hills and actually gained on some people who were running. Ran pretty hard on the downhills but not all out. Ran slow but steady from the lower parking lot to the aid station. I was getting pretty hot so had a Tailwind and dumped some water on my head. Hiked at a strong pace to the top of the mountain and felt pretty gassed at the top. My legs felt pretty fatigued and it felt like I was going slow for the fairly flat section back around to the top. Once I started climbing again I actually felt better. Came around a corner and there was a horse and rider, plus two more. Stopped so I wouldn't spook them, but they said it was ok. Slowly ran past, it was pretty cool seeing them. Ran pretty hard on the last downhill to the aid station. Got passed by a guy I passed on the climb. He was hauling ass down the hill. Got to the aid station and stopped to swap my water bottles with the ones I put by a tree. Also ditched my tank top, I was really hot. This made a big difference. There was a breeze and it was nice.
Headed out on the second lap and it felt like I was able to pick up the pace. Soon passed the guy who passed me on the downhill. Ran pretty well to the long climb. Took water and GU at the aid station and started hiking right behind another guy, Pushed pretty hard on this climb not to slow down. Finally passed the guy on the final steep to the top and then took off. I felt my energy was really low so I took a GU. Hiked a little more on the final climb than last time. Ran about as hard as I dared on the last downhill. Tried to be careful not to catch a root, especially with tired legs. Made it down to the bottom and ran as hard as I could back to the finish and sprinted through the field to the line.
Happy that I stuck to my plan and I don't think I could've gone any harder given the heat and humidity. However, you could tell the humidity had dropped during the second lap. Good race, much better than last year.
Gear: Mizuno shorts, NB singlet, water bottle belt with Tailwind.