Notes
Exactly what I hoped to run, while doubting that I could do this. It helped having Matt Soule-Parent, who won the race, spurring me on. Passed him going up Gowen Park Road and did not hear him soon thereafter, causing me to think I had him. However, on the paved trail approaching the Y, he sped up and passed me. At this point, I just tried to stay close to him, which helped me work harder. I suppose it would have helped me more if he had simply stayed with me and waited to make his move at the end, but he had greater goals in mind, including beating his winning time last year. In any event, I ran faster in mile 3 and to the finish, which brought my average pace down to 6:20. This was my predicted finishing pace based upon my Bay State half time last week. (Actually, as I recheck this, that time, 1:31:14, converts to a 6:21 pace in the 5k and a 7:20 pace in the marathon.) I'm pleased because usually I do better in the longer distances than in a 5k. Both races give me confidence that I can run 3:12 in NYC on November 1, as my predicted time based on my Bay State half is 3:12:00. I will be ecstatic if I can do that, as my time last year at NYC was 3:12:57. Interestingly, my age group (50-54) place last year at NYC was 99th, which is virtually the same as my age group place (98th) when I got my PR at NYC in 2011 with a time of 3:01:28 in the 45-49 age division. I've decided based on this that my goal at NYC this year will be an age group place of 97th or better.