Notes
CIM, 2:27:21, 139th place
5k 16:17, 10k 32:37 (16:20), 15k 49:13 (16:36), 20k 1:05:41 (16:28), Half 1:09:09, 25k 1:22:07 (16:26), 30k 1:39:54 (17:47), 35k 2:00:34 (20:40), 40k 2:19:19 (18:45), finish 2:27:21 (8:02)
Pre Race: woke up at 3:40ish for the 7am race and had some coffee, pedialyte, oatmeal, and a pack of belvitas. Took a nice hot shower and then headed for the buses with Hannah at about 4:45am. Got on the bus and we were heading to the start by 5:10. Got off the bus a little before 6am. Used the bathroom then jogged with MacCoy and Schrantz for about a mile at 6:20. Once we got back the toilet lines were super long and by the time I got my shoes changed and racing gear on it was 6:40 and I had to get rolling to the start line, I would have liked one more bathroom stop but oh well. Felt rushed at the start again just like CIM last year. Got loaded into the corral and everyone was talking about running an OTQ so I knew our pack would be huge. Took a Maurten 100 at about 6:50 and then at 7am we were off
First 10k was just madness. The pack was huge with the two 2:19 pacers at the front. There were probably close to if not more than 100 guys in it. Which made for madness at the water stations and the elite bottle stations, there were a couple times I almost went down from people trying to get cups and bottles. My glute was not noticeable at all in the first 10k and the pace was feeling easy so I was feeling confident about my chances after going through 10k ~15 seconds under pace. I took my first Maurten 100 gel during mile 5
The second 10k was pretty similar to the first. Massive pack of guys just all running behind the pacers. My glute was starting to get noticeable here, but not bad enough to where it was impacting me. We were hitting slightly slower splits in this 10k because there was a bit more uphill, but I was still having no issues and easily continuing to hit pace. I took my second Maurten 100 gel during mile 10 and I was taking down water and nuun from the water stations when I was able.
I went through halfway in 1:09:09, and all things considered I didn't think I was feeling too bad. I could feel my glute but it didn't hurt and other than that my legs and breathing were pretty solid. During mile 15 I went through a rough patch where my left leg started feeling super beat up and fell off the pack for a couple minutes, but it passed and I was back with the pack by the 16 mile split. I also took a Maurten 100 Caf 100 gel in mile 15. Toward the end of mile 16 I could tell my left leg was toast. My glute was starting to hurt and everything from the hips down to my calves felt overworked. I held onto the pack to the 17 mile split and then let them go, I knew I wasn't gonna be able to hold up at that pace the rest of the way.
Miles 19 to 22 I really packed it in. During mile 20 I stopped at a med tent and asked them how I could get back to the finish if I dropped out. They said if I could keep running then that would be by far the fastest way back. So I begrudgingly got back on the course and kept running. I think I took my last Maurten 100 Caf 100 gel around mile 21
After jogging for a few miles I realized I didn't feel too awful, so I started running sub 6 pace again. It didn't feel great but it was comfortable enough and would keep my time somewhat respectable. Made sure to look back every few minutes to make sure Tyson wasn't coming. If I had to, I would have been able to pick it up enough to hold him off I think. Made the turn at the finish, saw 2:27 on the clock, and just trotted it in. Legs and glute were super sore when I started walking but not too bad. Got my stuff then found Schrantz and MacCoy then went back and watched Hannah finish in 2:57
Obviously I'm bummed I couldn't improve on my Chicago time and run the OTQ, but it wasn't too shocking. 5 weeks out from CIM I got sick for a couple days and my Grandpa died in the same week. Then 3 weeks out I ran the really good 21 mile progression run and my glute was never 100% after that. Looking back on that workout I definitely think I pressed too hard in the final 3rd. I ran 5:15 pace for miles 14-21 and I was working really really hard to do that, and the day after that workout it felt like post-marathon soreness. In retrospect, I think that workout cost me having a good race at CIM. I also went to a football game the afternoon of that workout, so not properly recovering on the couch after it definitely didn't help either. I just felt burnt out and pretty garbage the last few weeks into CIM. Additionally, CIM is deceptively hilly and I don't think I was quite prepared for all the elevation change. I think preparing for hills better is something I would greatly benefit from going into Boston
All in all though I have had a really good 2019 of running. I've run way more miles than I ever have before, I should be over 4000 miles on the year by the time it ends. I dropped over 6 minutes from my marathon PR with my 2:20:28 at Chicago, and ran a really good 20k in warm weather at Dam to DSM. I know with more years of miles I can knock a lot more time off my marathon PR. I know they'll probably make the OTQ faster in 2024, but as long as its not set faster than 2:16, I think its within my range and I'm excited to keep chipping away time and get well under 2:20 over the next 4 years