Notes
Pre race Breakfast: 1 cup - Oatmeal.
1 Banana
1 8oz. glass of Recoverite
1 8 oz. glass of water+chia seeds+lemon juice+tbsp sugar mixed -inspired by Born to Run book
1 8 oz. glass of beet juice
1 5 hour energy shot
AWESOME RACE!!! First race back from injury and it was a SUCCESS!!! Took 1st place overall!!! Had a great race on my hands as I dueled Alejandro Dominguez for the "W". Perfect weather conditions for the race. First mile went out hard with the 10K guys & Alex leading the way. I settled in and let them pull away knowing that everybody would turn around at the 10K marker. By mile 3, Alex had atleast 30 seconds or more lead on me but I was banking on the fact that he wouldn't be able to sustain that pace for much longer. Sure enough, over the next few miles I gradually made up the deficit. I made sure to attack the hills which helped me cut into Alex's lead a little. Took a much needed e-Gel 31 minutes into the run at the top of the hill by the nursery. Around the 7 mile mark, I pulled even with Alex and we ran together for the next mile or so. I put in a few surges and Alex responded by drafting off of the back of me. Right before the last turn around at Gales Creek hwy, Alex moved to the lead for a minute or so and right at the turn around, I made a big moved and surged by him. I picked up the next mile drastically hoping to drop him and put a gap between us. I was successful at that, but he was only 10 or 11 seconds behind me and not dropping. I knew the race wasn't over yet and that I could still tank it in the end, so I ran scared and put my head down and grinded the last few miles with determination. Thankfully, I managed to keep the gap between us and even widened it a little by the top of the last hill near the cemetary. My quads were getting tight and my form was beginning to deteriorate, but I muscled it in and ended up winning in a course record 1:09:52!!! I am the first runner to break 70 minutes for that race. Alex came in around 1:10:18. I won with 26 seconds to spare! Alex is a great runner and I knew going into the race that it would be tough. I am glad he was there as it helped give me a target to shoot for during the first half of the race, and made me run scared for the second half to keep him from retaking the lead.
Lots of friends were at the race today. Shawn and Dan came to warm up with me and cheer me on. Shawn was at the 200m to go mark and provided encouragement as I was finishing. Helen was there to cheer us on. Gabe Smalls (the guy I beat in the 3K over the summer) raced and won the 10K division in 34:36. I saw him with half a mile to go on the course and he cheered me on and told me how far back Alex was. My athlete Liana Jenkins won the women's division of the 10K in 38:36! also putting her 7th overall in the race. Chuck Coates finished 3rd in the 20K and was excited that he exceeded his expectations. Another athlete of mine, Holly Hight decided to run her long run on the course and did not participate. After the race, we ate blueberry pancakes and listened to the awards. It was nice to be called the first place winner and to go up and recieve a plaque.
Mile splits:
1. 5:26
2. 5:36
3. 5:38
4. 5:45
5. 5:33
6. 5:42
7. 5:33
8. 5:33
9. 5:24
10. 5:34
11. 5:38
12. 5:24
.5 mi. 5:36 (pace)
Hooah for Beet Juice!