Notes
My goal for this race was to just break 60 minutes and keep my streak alive. I figured I could run in the 57-58 minute range, but didn't want to get out too hard and blow up. So, true to form, I went out conservatively as usual for the first four miles, then ran harder the last 5.3. Also staying true to history, my legs felt flat and sluggish for the first four miles. I don't know what it is about this race, but I never feel comfortable while running it, no matter what kind of shape I'm in. Maybe it's the constant hills or the heat.
Ran with Pete G for the first 3 miles then he got a few seconds on me up the hills and even more down the hill. I didn't go too crazy on the downhill because it usually beats up my quads and I didn't to cramp up later in the race. So I focused on having a quick turnover and not overstriding down the hill. Kept a good hard effort for the rest of the race, and definitely was holding back a bit to prevent myself from blowing up.
The thing about the Boilermaker is that it always affects my legs before my fitness. I was going about 85-90% effort, but my legs were still tired from those downhills. I'm glad I ran the way I did, because it wasn't an all-out effort, but my legs were still tired and sore after. My hamstring really tightened up and was angry on the drive home though. But now that I got through this race, I can really focus on getting it 100% healthy without worrying about any silly streaks I have to keep alive.