Ultra running is ultra stupid 

Guess I'll fit right in then!

Racing 26.2K this Sunday. Want to run 6:50 or 7:00 pace.

6:44. It was an out & back and I was starting to dread hills on the return, but a guy saw me at the turn-around and caught up to me, and was doing it as an MP trial run, and he thought I was running the pace he wanted, and he was friendly and chatty, and that got me through the hills, so I felt fortunate in that. I couldn't keep with him after that, but I chased along after him for most of the rest, which helped me keep going pretty good for most of it.

Saw it on facebook. Congrats Mike

6:44.

Nice job holding pace. 

Turned out to be a great day for running.  Mid-30's in the morning and probably barely breaking 40 at race start.  Started out with gloves and arm warmers but stripped the arm warmers after Mile 1.  Kept it comfortable for the first half with a couple of other guys.  We stayed pretty close to a 6 mpm pace.  Pace seemed so smooth and comfortable.  Ditched the gloves at Mile 11 when I saw the family.  We went through the half at 1:18:47. 

At that point one of the guys started picking up the pace and I went with him a couple of miles only to back off and stick with the 6 mpm pace.  The 5:40's felt doable but I could tell the effort level had to increase to maintain pace.  I fell off his pace around mile 18/19 and there ended up in no-man's land.  Hit Mile 20 in 1:59:43.  I was suppose to see the family again at this point but they didn't get there in time.  They made it there at 2:00:30, so I barely missed them.  That would have been a good pick-me-up at that point but it wasn't meant to be.  I picked off a couple of runners and a couple passed me in the last few miles.  Held pace untill mile 22 then slowly faded.  Legs were feeling it and I just worked from one mile to the next.  For a while there I thought 2:3x was in my future.  In the end it came to 2:41:22.  This was my first time under 3 and bettered my PR by 33 minutes (ran TCM back in '97).  Finished 10OA and 2AG.

Milwaukee was a great course and had a good mix of crowd support.  Plenty of water/gatorade along the course.  I ended up taking 2 gu's, one at 45 minutes and the other at 1:40.  Took water early then switched to gatorade about an hour in.  Felt okay with the fueling and hydration.  Badgerland Striders and the race committee surely do a good job with this race.  Bag drop, runner area and post race refreshments were good.  They had Louie's Demise on tap from the Milwaukee Brewing Company.  Good stuff.  While I was in the runner area, I got interviewed by the local news company.  After that, I got my stuff, got a massage and had a beer (OK, a couple) while I waited for the rest of the family to come in.

Miles 1-7: 6:09, 5:55, 6:10, 6:03, 5:56, 6:04, 6:00 (Total: 42:19)
8-13:  6:00, 5:59, 6:03, 5:56, 5:55, 5:52 (Half: 1:18:47)
13-20: 5:47, 5:44, 5:53, 5:55, 6:02, 6:00, 6:09
21-26: 6:03, 6:27, 6:30, 6:41, 7:05, 7:23
0.2 - 1:32

1st half: 1:18:47

2nd half: 1:22:42

mber - Really nice!

I am not sure why, but I love Lakefront.  We had great weather last year too, but it can be a bitch - hot or headwind most the way. 

The course is pretty decent - Rural - then tree lined suburby - Its no big deal running on side of road later in the race if you are near the front ... I have heard a few complaints from mid-packers it gets a bit congested.

Badgerland Striders always have good beer at the end of a race ... Maybe that is what I love.

Congrats and recover well!