Woke up with zero desire to run a race today! After the big win last night I could barely move. I hopped in the shower and instantly felt a lot better. Got up to pick my stuff up at Draper Park at about 5:45. Everything went smooth. and got 1/2 of my warm-up in. Got up to the race start at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, and was instantly reminded why it is always risky to run a first year event :) no water, and there wasn't even anyone from the race staff to direct everyone. It was a little chaotic, but it was entertaining for me to watch everyone freak out. The race started about 15 minutes late, but it was no big deal. I knew that I would have a chance to win my age group, but that is mostly because the 20-24 age group is usually very poorly represented :) Anyways . . . . All the splits are using the course mile markers. Mile 1 @6:31 As always I started off a bit too fast, but that was the plan being that the beginning of the course was the most downhill. I was feeling really smooth and confident. Mile 2 @6:09 This mile was VERY windy, and I took a really aggressive line through the neighborhood, and I knew I was going to cut out a lot of the course by running smart. (At least I think it is smart) Mile 3 @6:44 A much straighter mile, so the split shows that pretty well, at this point the course was still very down hill. Everything was feeling really good. Mile 4 @6:59 I started to settle in to a much easier pace and continued to cruise. Mile 5 @6:58 Like I said, I really felt dialed into this pace, everything continued to feel good, but it started to flatten out. Mile 6 @7:08 First up hill portion of the course, and the split shows that. I had been running with a group of about 5 runners, and this is where I separated from that whole group, and never saw them again. Mile 7 @7:16 More rolling hills in this mile, but nothing too severe, just kept plugging along. At this point I had lost contact with everyone except for one guy I had reeled in. Mile 8 @7:21 The most uphill mile of the course to this point, but still did pretty well, started to feel a bit fatigued, but made sure I took a Gu and some water. (which I stopped for, and took about 5 seconds.) Mile 9 @6:45 Back to some down hill, and winding, so once again with the aggressive line I was able to save some time. Mile 10 @7:36 This was probably my worst mile of the race, I just wanted to be done, and it started to feel like just another training run. The other runner and I started to wonder if we had gone off course because there was no one else around. Mile 11 @6:57 A bit of a downhill push before the "Draper Days Grind" :) Mile 12 @7:38 It took me a while to realize it, but this last stretch was up the same gradual uphill climb as the Draper Days 5k, and this played mind games with me :) Mile 13.1 @7:48 I got mentally exhausted, and thought I was going to have to run up the whole hill, but about half way through the mile we took a jaunt off the road on a trail and I knew we were close, I tried to kick but had nothing left. Overall I am pretty happy with the race, but at the same time a bit disappointed with the finish. I am upset I didn't have more in the tank , but that is expected when you consider the late night and stressful day yesterday. The good thing is that I got in some great tempo miles. Another positive is that my knee felt GREAT! That means I will be able to get back to the grindstone next week with the miles. |