Notes
BIB# 5224
Got a ride to the start with Eric. We parked as I have done in previous years near 7th street. As we walked across the pedestrian bridge over 35E, there was the big line-up of cars going north for the Kellogg Exit. It never cease to amaze me how people put up with that and don't plan ahead. As we climbed up the steps (way too many), Eric proclaimed he was done after the stairs workout.
We do a quick warm-up followed by some rather fast strides right before the race. National anthem was sort of a bust. At the end of the song, the national anthem started playing over again. We lined up just ahead of the 1:30 pace team.
Mile 1 (6:43)
Gun is off and we're running. Immediately I get us at around the 6:45 pace that I figure we would run for at least the first 6 miles. Rappl is there around Mile 1 yelling me out and I catch a glance of him snapping pictures.
Mile 2 (13:38)
Still on pace but Eric claims we are going a little too fast. We slow down a bit. I tell him to just run and don't talk. I'll do the talking.
Mile 3 (20:24)
The 1:30 pace team (Don and Dan) comes and pass us. I know we want to be sub1:30 and the pace team is banking some time so I make sure we speed up a little to stay with the pace team. We start to come up to Snelling so I know it's downhill from Snelling to the river.
Mile 4 (27:08)
Following pace team. All seems to be going well. I make sure to get some Gatorade at the first water stop (Fruit Punch flavor)
Mile 5 (34:03)
Still cruising with the pace team. We hit the river and start heading down the river.
Mile 6 (40:40)
Still with the 1:30 pace team. Got water at the second water stop.
Mile 7 (47:56)
We pass under Ford Parkway and head towards the 3rd Water Stop. I know this a good time for a gel. I took out the gels that I was carrying for both of us and both me and Eric take a gel at the water stop. For some reason, we then started to lose the 1:30 pace group (we slowed down a bit). As we proceeded up the hill, we started to slow once again and we start to get passed by a few runners.
Mile 8 (55:07)
As we continue on, we're still slowing down and more and more people are starting to pass us. I try to encourage Eric to pick up the pace but it's not helping. I tell him to focus on Superwomen who had passed us but is just ahead of us.
Mile 9 (1:02:10)
The initial hills are done but as we continue on, we're still getting passed by runners. I continue harassing Eric but I don't think it's working. Superwomen is still just ahead of us as she is slowing also.
Mile 10 (1:09:06)
As we get to the water stop right after Mile 9, the volunteers are yelling that gels are available at the end. I had to ask the volunteers again if indeed they said gels which they confirmed. At the end of the water stop, I grabbed 2 gels and tell Eric I have more gels now if he wanted one. He said no. As we continue on, we get passed by a pink pig. Towards Mile 10, the fork for the 10 Milers and Half Marathoners come and as I look at my watch, I see that we are going to be after 1:09 for 10 miles. No way Eric is going to get Sub 1:29 as we would need a Sub 20 5K for that to happen and we had been slowing our pace since Mile 7. Decided at that point to push myself ahead and see if I could still get under 1:30.
Mile 11 (1:15:14)
Started my breakaway and I find myself behind some blue-shirted high school kid who is also killing the course in the last 5K. I continue following the high school kid and we start to pass tons of people who had passed me before. Passed Superwomen and many others. As I get to Mile 11, I can see the 1:30 pacers up ahead. Hit the Mile in 6:08 but I couldn't pass the high school kid, he could feel me on his heels and wasn't about to let me overtake him.
Mile 12 (1:21:48)
Next Mile is the last two hill climbs. The high school kid is fast and he starts pushing distance against me and him but we continue passing many people. As we climb the second hill leading up to Mile 12, I finally pass the 1:30 pace team. Lose some pace because of the hill and finish that mile in 6:33.
Mile 13 (1:27:54)
From here it's practically downhill to the finish. Continue to push up the pace to the max I have possible and continue to pass people. Hit the 13th mile as my fastest at 6:05.
Mile 13.1
As I'm coming into the finish I can hear the announcer say we have our third place female finisher coming in. There's a fourth female just ahead of me but I know there's too much distance between us for me to make up. I see the finish clock still in the 1:28:xx. Wow I couldn't believe that I had made up quite a bit of time. Finished under that Sub 1:29 goal after all.