Notes
Valhalla 20k. Nutmeg and I didn't have grand plans so I stuck with trainers and just tried to start out at a slightly uptempo pace. Nutmeg and I joined a big group early on and let a few lead packs run ahead. This pace felt really comfortable and I debated picking it up a little more but we had a good group and still had a long ways to go so I just settled in and chatted with Nutmeg and Charlie Paul. As we got into Solon, Nutmeg, Charlie, and I started to separate from the rest of our group and we could tell we were catching New Guys group for the next few miles. The pace worked its way down to sub 6 at this point and I felt really good on any little climb. We finally caught New Guy around the halfway point and slowed a little to that groups pace for the next couple of miles before hitting it hard again. I started to pull away on a couple of hills and only felt one person go with me. I actually thought it was Charlie and was pleasantly surprised to see Nutmeg come up next to me. I had felt pretty in control of the groups pace up to this point so I was a little surprised when Nutmeg actually picked it to a pace that started to strain me a bit more. But it still felt doable and we kept together slightly gapping the rest of the group to the spillway. Nutmeg took the lead up the fist big climb and I passed him near the top and started to gap him a little bit trying to keep up the pace. But my legs were also burning and I didn't feel like trying to run away from him. By the next climb Nutmeg was in a better grove and while I still got a few steps on him, he was recovering quickly and starting to push the flats and downhills. This became the standard the last couple of miles, Nutmeg drug me along on downhills and flats and I would pass him and lead us up the hills. About as good of teamwork as two people could have in a race. The final half mile on the pavement was fast but we didn't go crazy since we weren't going to catch anyone and weren't going for a record setting time. Finished strong and tired in about the same time I did 2 years ago with a much more even effort than that year. I think we were around 6-7 as a big group all took it really hard and finished around 1:10:00.
Overall, this was a lot of fun. It went better than I expected for not getting to race level effort and really gives me confidence moving forward. It was also a ton of fun for Nutmeg and I to both feel strong on the same day and work together so well.