Notes
Wow, great race. Didn't think I could close the last 10k like I did last year but I did it again. I planned for a more aggressive pace this year and was still able to get a ~1:45 negative split on the 2nd half of the race. Here are the splits:
1 6:39: Perfect. shooting for 6:35-6:40 the first couple miles
2 6:27: downhill
3 6:36: dialed it back a bit
4 6:31: finding the 6:30 groove. Pass Strickland standing in front of the Gov. mansion and yell "Go Kasich!"
5 6:29: getting the rhythm
6 6:28
7 6:41: oops. uphill. kept the same effort
8 6:32: back in the rhythm
9 6:28:
10 630 Patience...feeling great but stick to the plan
11. 6:32 clicking off the 6:30s no problem. That was the plan from 5 to 15
12-13.1 13:40 (6:29 pace) in the groove up high street
Passed through the half right on plan at 1:25:31. Thought I could negative split up to a minute on this course to get under 2:50
13.1-14: 5:44 (6:27 pace)
14: 6:26 Keeping the same effort but times are coming down
15 6:26 Just cruisin' through OSU
16: 6:27 Same effort as earlier in the race. Not pushing things at all
17: 6:28 Down the hill and around the Horseshoe. Wanted to hit 630s up the hills the next 3 miles until 20
18: 6:34 uphill. kept the same effort. Knew I had a good one going so I didn't want to start pushing too soon
19: 6:28 Guy at the water station says "Damn, he looks smooth!"
20: 6:21 Starting to get rolling. Excited to get to the 20 mile mark
21 and 22: 12:23 (6:12 pace) Getting in the zone and forgot a split. Told myself "5 mile tempo run left to go". Not even looking at the watch in this stretch. Just focussed on the effort. Thought crossed my mind that I might run out of gas later
23 and 24: 12:28 (6:14 pace) forgot to get a split again. Passing people like they are standing still in the last 4 miles. Told a spectator "I'm feeling it today!"
25 to 26.2: 7:30 (6:09 pace) Thought the quads were going to seize up but I just put the head down and pushed. Caught a couple more people. Definitely hurting but just trying to turn things over and drive to the finish
So, I ran 6:15 pace the last 10k and passed 22 people. No regrets on the strategy. Perhaps I left a minute out there but I felt very confident with the plan while out on the course and executed it flawlessly.