Notes
Overall had a good experience today. Had a very tough race, ran a little different style for me and tried some things out. Heat and humidity eventually got me due to how fast I decided to get out added to a long week. Felt like I needed to test myself instead of just run pace today. Know the race is a "half-marathon" but that last mile is definitely wrong because I was cranking it up pretty good so I just counted it as I believe it truly was. Anyways, got out to the mile hanging on the back of the lead pack in 4:52. Was much faster than expected or hoped but really only thought Rizzo, Brady, and Mohammed were legit so figured I just needed to stay in the mix with these other handful of guys. Group eventually worked it's way down to 5 of us the next few miles. Mile 2 was 5:01, mile 3 was 4:58. Apparently came through 5k in 15:24. Was very different trying to take enough fluids at this pace while racing. Ran mile 4 in 5:00, struggled trying to grab water from the next set of tables because no one was handing them out. Semi-stopped to pick up a cup at the last table and lost a little ground. Spent the next half mile catching back up then joined the group for about another half mile. That 5th mile was 4:59. Then we finally spit out in the open and the heat and sun started to kick in to my already fatigued legs. Mile 6 was 5:11 as Mohammed and myself got dropped by the top 3. Mile 7 was 5:06. We were going back in forth with the lead for a couple miles while trying to keep the 2 that Rizzo would drop close enough to eventually eat back up. Would have worked but started to struggle with pace due to getting out too hard. Mile 8 was 5:14, mile 9 was 5:18, mile 10 was 5:20. By this point I had started to put a little gap on Mohammed and was attempting to slowly reel in the 3rd place guy, who I thought was Ryan Juliano from Schaumburg. Couldn't make up any substantial ground, which was getting frustrated because I'd make up a little and then lose a little. Mile 11 was 5:22, mile 12 was 5:22 again. He was looking back so knew I had to attempt to make a move to get up there. Just started to dig a little deeper without red lining it and take my stab. I started to inch closer and just hoped the finish line was far enough away. Mile 13 was 5:42. That was definitely long, I felt like I dipped under 5:10 for that one, or pretty close. That mark was apparently the true half-marathon and then sprinted the last .1 home. Got close to dude, but still lost by 6 seconds. Kinda disappointed I had him in my sights the last 6 or 7 miles and couldn't get him. Last .1 was 28 seconds. Almost pr'd through 5 miles, road pr for 10k, faster than bix for 7 miles. Definitely started fading more than hoped but a good experience. Not nearly at Rizzo's level currently but glad I came close to some 1:04 something guy. Very sore and tight afterward.