Notes
I had absolutely no idea what to expect or even what pace I should run for a 25k. Looked up a pace predictor for a 9 min pace marathon and it spit out an 8:45 pace. After discussing some goal times with Lance on the way down I settled with “in the 8:30s”. The day was perfect, cool, sunny, and the crowd wasn’t huge. Since I had no idea what to expect so I resigned myself to thinking of this as a training run and wasn’t that worried about it. But waiting for the port-a-potty the nerves kicked in and the butterflies appeared. I took it as a good sign, and it felt familiar. Reminded me of how I felt before any basketball game.
The scenery was pretty awesome, and I was much more aware of my surroundings then normal and took it in. At the start of the race we passed by a father pitching to a son. Something I just spent 2 weeks doing. Another good sign. The other thing that I was painfully aware of was not to go out to fast. Nothing faster than an 8:15 on the first few miles because of the downhill course at first and then I would settle into an 8:30 or so pace. I watched runners pass me and fought the urge to race. Stay between 8:15 and 8:30. I’ll catch them later…I hope. But around Mile 3 many people began to fade already and I started passing people. The rest of the way I think only 1 person passed me that I didn’t eventually catch. Around mile 3 I realized I was just warming up and the knee started to get loose. I’ve hovering around 8:20s and I feel like I am running slow. Around mile 6 I’m feeling good, a little over 49 mins, and realize I am running faster than my goal and I feel like I have a lot left. I feel fast, like I'm driving the run. Not weighed down by it. 7,8,9, all sub 8s. 10, 11, 12 at 7:46, 7:30, and 7:40. When the watch reads 7:30 I have to look at it twice. In this stretch I feel like I am flying but it feels effortless. I want to pick off more people because they look tired. 13 and 14 are harder but I’m still under 8. The last mile has a few nice little hills and these ones get to me but I am still under my goal pace by 10 seconds after a killer 15th mile with some tough hills.
As I enter the school I see Lance and he's cackling at me. “Let’s go Steve. SHE’s gaining on you. Push it….let’s go. DON’T GET CHICKED”. Fuck. I look back a bunch of times and push. I realize that if I have to maintain this sprint I’m going to puke but I can’t get chicked at the end. After a few seconds I realize he is just f’ing with me and there is no shot at her getting by me. I ease up a little but keep an even pace and finish strong. This felt really, really good. I definitely accomplished something today and took another leap of progress. The discipline around pace and having some left in the take will help me with my strategy in a month. This also felt like racing today. Not just running slow, being happy to finish. No real aftermath physically either. A little sore with the calves but mostly good especially the knee. Very happy with the result and will sleep well tonight.