Notes
A beautiful day to run. Tried to carb load throughout the week. Ate a fairly light meal the night before the race with a carb snack right before bed. Got up a 3AM and ate a bagel with grape jelly, a banana, and drank some red powerade. At 4AM I went downstairs and met Alison and Alisa for the ride to the start. Both of those ladies were very friendly and I enjoyed having someone to talk to. We arrived at the finish line to meet the shuttle bus around 4:45. It was cold and dark out. I headed up to the portajohn for my first of 3 pre race bathroom breaks. Buses finally arrived and we hopped on 1. Ended up sitting with a guy who works for the North Face in Denver and was running his first marathon. Real friendly and funny guy. The ride to the start took about 45 minutes and my bladder was about to explode. Finally arrived and hopped out to the first portajohn I could find. Did some light stretching and then hit the bathroom 1 more time. The race got started about 10 minutes late, they fired a shotgun to get us going. The course was beautiful the whole time. Felt really good at the start. My plan was to go out in a 1:46 half and negative split to 3:30. B goal was 3:35 and C goal was a PR. Started out running around 2 guys who I think were shooting for 3:30, one guy close to my age in black and a bit older guy in white. Paces for the first few miles
1 - 8:08
2 - 8:02
3 - 8:17
I was in front followed by black then white. I started needing to pee about mile 2 but wanted to hold out as long as I could.
4 - 7:50
5 - 7:58
6 - 8:06
At mile 6 I decided to go ahead and relieve myself so I hit one of the moving portajohns. I also took half a waffle right before mile 6.
7 - 8:42 (1:02 bathroom break)
8 - 7:53
9 - 7:55
10 - 7:57 (Biggest hill of course)
11 - 7:51
12 - 7:59
13 - 7:51
HALF - 1:45:15 (8:02/mi)
I allowed myself to pick it up from 6-13 because of the bathroom break. I felt comfortable the whole time. Black and white passed me with black taking the lead followed by white. I slowly reeled them in and was probably only 10 seconds behind them at the half. It was also during those miles I began to feel the soreness in my right hamstring. I noticed it the whole rest of the race but it never really got worse. At the half point we ran through the half marathoners who hadn't started yet so that was encouraging.
14 - 7:53
15 - 7:56
16 - 7:55
Still feeling pretty good through the mid teens but was getting anxious to get to the high teens because I know that's where the race begins. At the mile 15 pit stop black stopped to use the bathroom and white dropped his water bottle at the exchange allowing me to pass them both.
17&18 - 15:51 (7:56)
19&20 - 15:53 (7:57)
At mile 20 I am 15 seconds ahead of 3:30 pace. In that stretch I started hitting lap at 2 miles instead of 1 to play a mental trick on myself....got passed by about 4 half marathoners in this stretch.
21&22 - 16:23 (8:12)
Mile 21 was my lowest point during the race. This was the out and back stretch at Brownlee. The out portion was fine with the wind. The back portion was slightly uphill and directly into the wind. It continued for the 1st half of mile 22. I was dying. I actually walked 40 seconds in the first half of mile 22. I was working hard, figured I had been broken, and started figuring for 3:35. I passed a younger "kid" about halfway through 22 who told me to keep it up. To myself I thought keep what up, sucking? I finally made a turn back to crosswind from headwind and topped the slight incline. Finished 22 9 seconds off of 3:30 pace. During the race I thought I was in much worse shape.
23&24 - 15:52 (7:56)
During this stretch an amazing thing happened. I kept thinking I would get repassed by white or black but I never saw them again. I was passed by a half marathoner that told me good job. When he passed I thought, what the heck I'll try to hang with him. At this point my lap pace was around 8:20 pace. I started picking it up and surprisingly felt strong. It didn't hurt that the grade was a slight decline and the wind was a slight tailwind. I watched the lap pace drop finally settling on 7:56 at the mile 24 mark. During this stretch I said to myself, i'm getting 3;30 motherf@cker. At this point I am right on pace.
25 - 7:43
Feeling good here, confident I am going to make it as long as no devastating cramp occurs.
26.2 - 9:13 (7:41 pace)
This last stretch was long. I was hurting but the end was in sight. I couldn't see the finish when I made a right hand turn but I could see trucks traveling on the highway and I knew the finish was before that. I started reciting Miles books to make the time pass. I could finally see people at the finish. About 100 yards from the finish I hear a yell and it's Jill and she snaps a few pics. I cross the finish line and the race director informs me of my time.
FINISH - 3:29:08 (7:59/mi)
Got a gatorade and paid for a 10 minute massage. We hopped in the car and headed back to Valentine as checkout was at 11:00.
Overall it was a great experience. Cool race with only 150 people. Course was beautiful, weather was beautiful and was very satisfied with my effort. Had a 1:07 negative split and ran the last 10K in 49:11 (7:56/mi).