Notes
Did the Buckeye Half-Marathon today in the CVNP. I PR'd this course last year in 1:33'26" (7'08" pace). Given that positive experience, I was excited all week to see how my training was going and to improve that result.
I felt like I was going to PR, but I was unsure by how much. Keeping in mind that I was not going to get too high or too low, I went out with the plan to do 7'15" and 7'10" for the first two miles and before wanting to drop it to 6'55" and hold for as long as I could.
My plan eventually looked like this but at a much brisker pace.
The first mile was 7'03" followed by a 7'05" second mile. I felt comfortable - it did not feel too fast so I let it be. The third mile I attacked a bit hitting a 6'53". With the exception of my final mile, it was my slowest mile between 3-13.
My mile splits were:
1) 7'03"
2) 7'05"
3) 6'53"
4) 6'48"
5) 6'52"
6) 6'45"
7) 6'45"
8) 6'45"
9) 6'49"
10) 6'42"
11) 6'46"
12) 6'49"
13) 6'58"
.1) 6'15"
Overall, miles 3-6 were largely an experiment. I was breaking the psychological barrier of running sub-7'/mile pace. Then, after I was comfortable and hit the half-way point, I just enjoyed the ride and tried to really work the back-end of the race. Miles 6-8, I was as steady as it gets. Mile 9, we went up a little incline and I worked hard on the mile 10 decline. After another 6'46" at mile 11, it was just a matter of holding on and sealing the deal. I saw the 1:30' pacer in the distance and was working steadily to catch him but I never did manage to.
Things to think about: I held mile 12 together pretty well but I was really tired during the last mile. There had been no cups for water at the 12 mile station so I hadn't drank since 9.5. Also I could feel mentally I was waning/wondering. I tried to refocus time and again but I just wanted the race to end. My three-word mantra of the day, "Nice. Easy. Fluid." wasn't getting it done as it had between miles 8-12. I made it up the hill and then really pushed the last .4 as hard as I possibly could. And I felt good doing it. Perhaps between 12-12.7 I just had a bit of a dip.
Naturally, I wish I would have finished under 1:30 but I was so happy with my time. I feel like my endurance is pretty good. Only three more weeks until I taper! I love where the training has set me up. I am in a great place to keep getting better the next couple weeks.
LT sent me a congratulatory text after the race. I thanked him and then asked if we can work on getting me faster. It was a great day from start to finish. I prepped well this week (including my mini-taper), ate well, relaxed the day before the race, and then just got in a hard but comfortable pace and was able to maintain it until mile 13. But the most important thing I think is that I "only had to worry about running". When the situation is like this, I usually run well.
Next time, I want to go sub-1:30'