Notes
Oh man that was brutal. That is one long race. I'm very happy with the result and it was a great learning experience.
Started out about 2/3 back - probably too far as we spent the first couple of miles getting into position. Our goal was to run the first 3 miles at 9-minute pace, the middle 20 at 8:30 pace and then try to run 8 minute miles at the end for the last 3, giving us a time of 8:45 or so.
Our first mile was the slowest - 9:03, then 8:33 and 8:35, so a bit ahead of pace. I didn't get the split for mile 4 so the next 2 miles were in 16:55 (8:23 each), taking us just past Vinal Square. Miles 6, 7 and 8 were in 8:23, 8:30 and 8:22. Crossed the Tyngsboro Bridge and did the next mile in 8:53 (including a pee break). Then dropped back to 8:22, 8:19 and 8:24 for miles 10, 11 and 12. Didn't get the split for mile 13 but passed the half marathon mark in 1:51:24 (9:08 for 1.1 miles). Did the 0.9 to mile 14 in 7:38, then grabbed a couple of Take 5 bars from Priscila when passing the church (yum!), doing mile 15 in 8:17. Miles 16, 17, 18 and 19 were in 8:25, 8:18, 8:14 and 8:17. Probably a bit too fast since I slowed to 8:38, 8:37 and 8:33 for miles 20, 21 and 22. Then we passed Amanda, Lucy and their friend Amy and Tony ate some food after which I kind of just kept on going and didn't see him until the end of the race. Mile 23 was done in 8:31, mile 24 in 8:41, mile 25 in 8:26 (thanks to the downhill near UML), mile 26 in 8:06 and the last 0.2 in 1:47. So I guess the second half was a little quicker than the first: 1:50:28.