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<i>warning this is long and riddled with spelling and grammer errors</i><br><br>
Ah where to begin... I guess I'll start here with this old cliche - "What a difference a year makes". Last year Richmond was hot and humid with the temps approaching 75 when I finished up. I think it was 65 at the start. Throw in a case of bronchitis, and you can see how I just wrote that one off... but that was last year.<br><br>
Flash forward... present day 2007... despite being a touch under prepared (my highest mile week was a scant 47.3 miles), and I only had 2 20 milers in my legs since a 33 mile trail race I did in July, I was feeling confident. While I had a VERY poor showing at my last half marathon, my confidence was boosted by the 2 20 milers I did. I felt very fresh towards the end. I know however there is a difference between running 20 miles at an 8 min/mile average pace, and running 26.2 miles at a 7:27 min/mile average pace (which was my goal for today), but I was feeling strangely confident none-the-less.<br><br>
So now you know a little about where my mind was as I made my way to the start. I had one goal in mind, to Qualify for Boston, anything else would be secondary. If I didn't make my goal, so be it, but I was going to give myself the opportunity to try. To go out at 3:20 pace would have put me in a position where it was impossible to makeup the time to finish in 3:15, I was going to have to man up... suck it up... and run well. I did that - for 18.5 miles. I'm pretty happy with that, I know I didn't run even splits, or negative splits, but I did indeed leave it all out on the course.<br><br>
So here are the details for better or worse.<br><br>
The temperatures were perfect at the start - low 40's, and overcast. People complained. I reminded them of last year... they shut up.<br><br>
I started with the 3:15 pace group. I had on throw away gloves that I bought 2 years ago for $1 - they did well for 2 years, I have no remorse for tossing them. I also had on an old t-shirt. I joked that when we hit pace, it would disintegrate. I removed it in the second mile. I tossed the gloves by mile 3.<br><br>
The first few miles of Richmond were flat, and crowded. I was bumped a lot. I'm sure I cut people off as much as I was cut off. I stayed with my pace leader, I made small talk with some old friends. I talked to some new ones. All in all, I felt relaxed and comfertable despite a faster than expected pace. For a couple of the first miles, we hit 7:16 yowzers...<br><br>
I stuck to my plan, and refueled (2 cliff blocks) at Mile 6. Just after mile 6, one of the spectators said "Nice Legs" to our group. I yelled back "what about my pipe cleaner arms? they are my best feature" - yeah... I was paying a little homage to <b>Pacer Chris</b> I hope that isn't plagerism.<br><br>
Then came the downhill to mile 7, this is perfect, a chance to relax, and talk to the person next to me about how she did the Ironman Cor-deLane. I'm impressed. We get to the partyzone at mile 7, lots of people lots of energy... I smile... I'm feeling good... I'm on target.<br><br>
Mile 8... is pretty uneventful... you run by the James River. It's flat, but the road surface kind of sucks... still on pace.<br><br>
Mile 9... - I catch up to my friend (he's been about 2 runners in front of me since the last waterstop). I make bunny ears when we get to the photographer. Juvenile, I know, but I've known this guy 15 years (since my bike racing days).<br><br>
Mile 10... mostly uphill... stay on pace... feeling a little effort, but still feeling pretty good overall. I grab some water at the water stop. I'm still in my group. Whoo hooo<br><br>
Mile 11... I get a side stitch - <b>Fu#k</b> "ok... I think to myself... don't panic... relax... breath... slow down a touch... not too much.... don't walk here just relax..." I see the pace group move away from me on the rolling hills. Amazingly, I don't panic. I know there's a party zone at mile 12.5 I make it a goal to reach 12.5 smiling. I get over the rollers. I get to mile 12.5 and the group is still 50 yards ahead. I relax. I'm gaining on them...<br><br>
Just after the half (which I reached in 1:36 something), there is a pretty decent hill leading up to 14. My friend catches up to me - funny, I thought he was in the group. He says something to me about catching the group. We stay relaxed on the hill, and we're back in by about 14.5. Yessss.... safety in numbers <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile"><br><br>
Mile 15 is where the Lee bridge starts. This is also the section of the course which generally has a headwind, and NOTHING to protect you. So glad I made it to the group. I hang on to them, they are my lifeline. I stayed with the group until about mile 17. Then I backed off a little. The group seemed to be still banking time. I knew that if I continued to bank I'd probably crash.<br><br>
Sadly... by mile 18.5... crashing became a reality. I walked for a minute. I felt better. I continued. I knew my wife and son would be somewhere around mile 19.5. I continued to run (I did walk a little on a hill) up to 19.5, saw my wife and son, waved... tried to look like I was feeling good... but I knew I wasn't going to make my goal. I pressed on.<br><br>
I got to mile 20, and kind of decided (since the waterstops were every mile at this point) I would walk the waterstops, and run the rest. Well I sort of held true to this for the first couple, but mostly it was like this. Run about half a mile, walk, run to the waterstop, walk, repeat. I did this until the end.<br><br>
While I'm sad that I had to take some walk breaks, and I'm sad that I didn't BQ - I am <b>Happy</b> to report a new <b>PR</b> 3:23:27. This is just over 3 and a half minutes faster than my previous PR which was on a much easier course.<br><br>
I'll be back in the game to try to BQ next spring. This time I'm going to put in more miles... and I'm going to follow a plan.<br><br>
Thanks for reading!<br><br>
ETA - oh and the best part... I got to see the following KR peoples after the race:<br><br><b>batmomm</b><br><b>IEatHills4Meals</b><br><b>Kruss</b><br>
and <b>Jen</b>
Ah where to begin... I guess I'll start here with this old cliche - "What a difference a year makes". Last year Richmond was hot and humid with the temps approaching 75 when I finished up. I think it was 65 at the start. Throw in a case of bronchitis, and you can see how I just wrote that one off... but that was last year.<br><br>
Flash forward... present day 2007... despite being a touch under prepared (my highest mile week was a scant 47.3 miles), and I only had 2 20 milers in my legs since a 33 mile trail race I did in July, I was feeling confident. While I had a VERY poor showing at my last half marathon, my confidence was boosted by the 2 20 milers I did. I felt very fresh towards the end. I know however there is a difference between running 20 miles at an 8 min/mile average pace, and running 26.2 miles at a 7:27 min/mile average pace (which was my goal for today), but I was feeling strangely confident none-the-less.<br><br>
So now you know a little about where my mind was as I made my way to the start. I had one goal in mind, to Qualify for Boston, anything else would be secondary. If I didn't make my goal, so be it, but I was going to give myself the opportunity to try. To go out at 3:20 pace would have put me in a position where it was impossible to makeup the time to finish in 3:15, I was going to have to man up... suck it up... and run well. I did that - for 18.5 miles. I'm pretty happy with that, I know I didn't run even splits, or negative splits, but I did indeed leave it all out on the course.<br><br>
So here are the details for better or worse.<br><br>
The temperatures were perfect at the start - low 40's, and overcast. People complained. I reminded them of last year... they shut up.<br><br>
I started with the 3:15 pace group. I had on throw away gloves that I bought 2 years ago for $1 - they did well for 2 years, I have no remorse for tossing them. I also had on an old t-shirt. I joked that when we hit pace, it would disintegrate. I removed it in the second mile. I tossed the gloves by mile 3.<br><br>
The first few miles of Richmond were flat, and crowded. I was bumped a lot. I'm sure I cut people off as much as I was cut off. I stayed with my pace leader, I made small talk with some old friends. I talked to some new ones. All in all, I felt relaxed and comfertable despite a faster than expected pace. For a couple of the first miles, we hit 7:16 yowzers...<br><br>
I stuck to my plan, and refueled (2 cliff blocks) at Mile 6. Just after mile 6, one of the spectators said "Nice Legs" to our group. I yelled back "what about my pipe cleaner arms? they are my best feature" - yeah... I was paying a little homage to <b>Pacer Chris</b> I hope that isn't plagerism.<br><br>
Then came the downhill to mile 7, this is perfect, a chance to relax, and talk to the person next to me about how she did the Ironman Cor-deLane. I'm impressed. We get to the partyzone at mile 7, lots of people lots of energy... I smile... I'm feeling good... I'm on target.<br><br>
Mile 8... is pretty uneventful... you run by the James River. It's flat, but the road surface kind of sucks... still on pace.<br><br>
Mile 9... - I catch up to my friend (he's been about 2 runners in front of me since the last waterstop). I make bunny ears when we get to the photographer. Juvenile, I know, but I've known this guy 15 years (since my bike racing days).<br><br>
Mile 10... mostly uphill... stay on pace... feeling a little effort, but still feeling pretty good overall. I grab some water at the water stop. I'm still in my group. Whoo hooo<br><br>
Mile 11... I get a side stitch - <b>Fu#k</b> "ok... I think to myself... don't panic... relax... breath... slow down a touch... not too much.... don't walk here just relax..." I see the pace group move away from me on the rolling hills. Amazingly, I don't panic. I know there's a party zone at mile 12.5 I make it a goal to reach 12.5 smiling. I get over the rollers. I get to mile 12.5 and the group is still 50 yards ahead. I relax. I'm gaining on them...<br><br>
Just after the half (which I reached in 1:36 something), there is a pretty decent hill leading up to 14. My friend catches up to me - funny, I thought he was in the group. He says something to me about catching the group. We stay relaxed on the hill, and we're back in by about 14.5. Yessss.... safety in numbers <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.kickrunners.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Smile"><br><br>
Mile 15 is where the Lee bridge starts. This is also the section of the course which generally has a headwind, and NOTHING to protect you. So glad I made it to the group. I hang on to them, they are my lifeline. I stayed with the group until about mile 17. Then I backed off a little. The group seemed to be still banking time. I knew that if I continued to bank I'd probably crash.<br><br>
Sadly... by mile 18.5... crashing became a reality. I walked for a minute. I felt better. I continued. I knew my wife and son would be somewhere around mile 19.5. I continued to run (I did walk a little on a hill) up to 19.5, saw my wife and son, waved... tried to look like I was feeling good... but I knew I wasn't going to make my goal. I pressed on.<br><br>
I got to mile 20, and kind of decided (since the waterstops were every mile at this point) I would walk the waterstops, and run the rest. Well I sort of held true to this for the first couple, but mostly it was like this. Run about half a mile, walk, run to the waterstop, walk, repeat. I did this until the end.<br><br>
While I'm sad that I had to take some walk breaks, and I'm sad that I didn't BQ - I am <b>Happy</b> to report a new <b>PR</b> 3:23:27. This is just over 3 and a half minutes faster than my previous PR which was on a much easier course.<br><br>
I'll be back in the game to try to BQ next spring. This time I'm going to put in more miles... and I'm going to follow a plan.<br><br>
Thanks for reading!<br><br>
ETA - oh and the best part... I got to see the following KR peoples after the race:<br><br><b>batmomm</b><br><b>IEatHills4Meals</b><br><b>Kruss</b><br>
and <b>Jen</b>
