Notes
Bib #6657
So this is what 30,000 runners looks like? Crazy!
D and I were sitting on the curb stretching and talking in corral 6 to save our nerves (and feet) from the torturous wait until the gun sounded. The sun was just starting to rise when the gun sounded for the 7:30 start. The forecast promised to bring 70 degrees by mid morning, but was low 60's at start time. Not real bad, plus I planned to be done by 9:30.
This was it. This was the first race that I had really trained for and I was going to break 2:00. Sub 2 was the stated goal, but I knew that was in the bag during training and <1:55 was in range. The plan was conservative, to go out at 9:10 for the first 5k and once the crowd thinned (which never happend at all), then click off 9m/mi until the half and full split after mile 10. Then I would give it whatever was left.
And I followed the plan beautifully...for exactly 9 minutes. The first mile was crowded and I was warming up, so 9:10 on the nose. After that, I started feeling really good and the excitement of the race pushed me sub-9 the rest of the way.
The course was pretty flat with only a couple of hills in the middle and that ugly ramp at the end. Overall, I just clicked off the miles, taking water every other water stop and ate some Pop Tart after 45 min then again around 80 minutes.
Finally saw the 10 mile marker and waited until I passed it, knowing that there was only 5k left and realizing that I still felt strong...no, actually, I felt fresh. So very different than White Rock in March...which is what that race felt like...a death march. All the miles really paid off big.
Somewhere between mile 10 and the marathon split off, I decided that I had way too much left in the tank and it was time to let it roll. It was awesome passing all those people. There were so many (it was crowded) that I didn't get a chance to pick someone out and the reel them in...I was just passing runners every couple of seconds...many dozens or maybe hundreds of folks that were just trying to hang on.
I felt like I was flying in comparison as I hit mile 12 at 8:10 and then just let it rip down Durango until I turned the corner and saw that ramp. It was only 60 feet in elevation, but it burned as I went up at a 7min clip. Later I saw that Mile 13 was 7:25 (my last mile trial was 7:20) and then I was passing the finish line knowing that I easily broke 1:55. (Officially: 1:53:56)
Cooled down and ate everything I could. Lots of people cramping up and laying around the medic tents...it was getting hot out.
Checked out the happenings, went to bag check, and tried to guess what D was going thru at that moment.
I starting looking out for her knowing that she secretly would hope to best her Dallas time. I was getting a little anxious when I finally saw her and was so proud of what she had just accomplished (with the injuries and being unable to train). That girl's got guts.
We're definitely doing this again next year!!