So this is a little late but better late than never!
Race distance: 13.1 miles
Competitors: 6000
Goal1: Under 1:30:00 (6:52 pace)
Goal 2: Top 100 racers
As I had mentioned in my previous blog I was coming off of a ligament strain in my knee and started running after a 3 week break about ten days before my race. All in all I was a little apprehensive about my goals so I hatched a race plan of go out hard and build up something of a buffer for my pace to slide. I planned to take out the first 3 miles at under a 6:40 pace. Then settle into my 6:52 pace and then use whatever I had left in the last few miles to hold on.
The race: I lined up with my brother and my friend Samantha who had also decided to take on the race. This put me pretty far back from the actually start line. I knew I would be passing a lot of people in the beginning but it would be something to make a game out of and keep my mind off of the race. Unfortunately it ended up being extremely congested and I wasted a lot of energy working through people in the first mile through accelerating and slowing and weaving back and forth. However my first mile ended up being a 6:38, feeling little strain or exhaustion I hammered the pace for the next few miles. I hit the 5 mile point at 32:32 and I knew I was in a good position well ahead of my goal pace.
I kept plugging away at a pace faster then my goal pace for the next 5 miles hitting the 10 mile mark at 1:05:45. That's when it started to hurt. My legs were tight and sore from pushing a pace much faster than I had anticipated. Knowing that I was well ahead of my goal pace I gave in to the pain and slowed down. It is so easy to think that you will just push through things mentally but when the moments actually arrive sometimes you just give in, and I did. My pace slowed to above 7 minute miles. And I had only a brief kick with about one minute to go. Finishing the last 3.1 miles in 21:56 for a total time of 1:27:41. I was happy with that! Well ahead of my goal and finishing 55 overall.
Basically a success! I was extremely happy, and took a lot out of the experience, I will definitely be back to Fargo in 2013!
Next up Buffalo triathlon race report!
