Notes
Age Grade -- 85.821
Overall I am very happy with these results! To run a PR two weeks shy of my 53rd birthday that was 8 years in the making is awesome!!!
Had a great training cycle coming into the race and a lot of confidence. Had a strong plan and I think I executed it fairly well for the first 16 miles. Mile 17, the bladder decided that it couldn't hold on anymore and I was forced to make a quick biffy stop. No big deal, felt confident that I was still just fine. Got out and right back on the race plan for the next two miles. Then I got a stitch just below the waist band on my right side. Pretty excruciating! Tried all the usual tricks -- changed breathing, dug my fingers into it, etc. Seemed to let up and I got back to almost goal pace and then was hit with an even worse stitch just below my right ribs. This one is very persistent -- so much so that I am still feeling it on Tuesday as I type this. Next few miles were very disheartening! I thought for sure that I had just blown my PR. Just kept trying to get back onto some kind of pace. Finally at mile 24 it loosened up enough for me to start getting back on it. Mile 25 was good and then I just bit my lip and gave it everything I had! Very happy that I was able to dig deep enough to go sub 6:10 in mile 26. that is what got me the PR!!!
All in all, I think I ran this as I should. Legs started feeling like I was running a marathon around 18, but nothing I wouldn't expect. No real cramping or anything. I think pacing was about right given the elevation profile. I will say that this course definitely has more ups than is apparent by the elevation profile. It may be net downhill, but you have to work for some those downhills. There were quite a few more ups than expected. None too major, but they were there.
Interesting Stats:
175th at 10k
142nd at the Half
136th at 20 miles
132 at the finish.
2nd place grandmaster by 6 seconds...