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4,349 Posts
First thing I'd like to say is unfortunately I didn't get to meet ronbo and alaska mike. I hung around over an hour trying to find someone with a red beard, and ran back through the course. Alaska Mike was probably already home when I got finished <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">... But we should meet up soon and do a bike or something, we have some of the same races coming up.<br><br>
Short version:<br>
1:28:57 actual time, 1:29:05 gun time. Busted my PR on this course from two years ago.... 1:43! Simply it was best overall race ever.<br><br>
Long version:<br>
So let me set the stage here. March Madness HM in Cary, IL is dubbed the toughest race in Northern, IL. The reason is simply because its hilly... very hilly. I've done this race twice before, the last time was two years ago where I went 1:43 something. I thought that was a great race actually as I started out at 8min/miles and stayed consistent throughout.<br><br>
Today is a different story. Two years later, I've become a triathlete, and have been training pretty hard for Ironman. Last year I thought I was slowing down a bit on the run. Despite being fit last year, my best HM time was 1:33 at Madison. Madison is not a flat course, but its nothing like the one in Cary, IL. I thought with my current fitness level however and some recent track results, I may... may possibly go under 1:33, probably between 1:31 - 1:33. I thought my best chances of breaking 1:30 this year would be again at Madison in late May.<br><br>
Splits:<br>
1 - 7:09<br>
2 - 6:56<br>
3 - 6:45<br>
4 - 6:53<br>
5 - 6:30<br>
6 - 7:02<br>
7 - 6:54<br>
8 - 6:49<br>
9 - 6:17<br>
10 - 6:52<br>
11 - 6:55<br>
12 - 6:49<br>
13 - 6:22<br>
13.1 - 1:28:57 - 6:47min/mile!<br><br>
Miles 1-3. The goal was to take it easy of course. And generally the first 3 miles where rolling and not that bad. After mile 1, I felt pretty good and just went from there. When I saw that mile 2 was under 7, I thought maybe I have a chance to get around 1:30. My original plan was to keep the pace around 7min miles. After mile 3, I really started thinking about 1:30. However I kept telling myself to relax, relax, forget about the time, just run solid.<br><br>
Miles 4-6. Mile 4 was tough. One of the first biggest climbs. What comes up must come down, so I can only guess that the 6:30 in mile 5 was mostly a descent, but mile 6 was another climb. It was definitely getting tougher and I kept thinking to myself all the hard training I've done on the computrainer on the treadmill. I thought about this forum actually and all the motivation I get from it! This was nothing I was ready to take some more pain!<br><br>
Miles 7-9. Miles 7 and 8 were again tough, but I was holding pace. I knew I needed to keep it around 6:52 or so to break 1:30. At mile 9 I went 6:17!!! I was like WTF is going on. 9 miles down... I was going to do it.. I knew it. I saw a few people stop with cramps or they just seemed to be walking. I just kept thinking to myself, anything can happen, just stay relaxed, under control.<br><br>
Miles 10-12. The next 3 miles, man, I forget which mile, but there was a real long climb on one of these, and I kept looking up the road and after the climb it seemed like there was another climb ahead, but we turned left instead of straight... whewww... After mile 12 a spectator said something to me like "you are going to break 1:30". At that point I threw caution to the wind and just hammered it.<br><br>
Miles 13 - 13.1. I went 6:22 in the last mile, and it was not a descent. More ascent than anything but not like some of the climbs I just had. When it was over I was happy... of course!.. but exhausted. I gave it all I had and ran a smart race... I didn't burn up and started off a little slower and tried to build throughout.<br><br>
This was a great race result going into IMAZ, my confidence is now sky high and I feel confident I'll have a strong race. Just need to keep all the parts working. I'm pretty convinced that my long hard hours on the computrainer has made me a much better runner. Actually over the last several years I thought I was just getting slower because I was getting older. That's a joke now.. I realize that! In fact I should be able to get faster and faster over the next several years!<br><br>
I can't wait to do this race next year, I plan on getting better and better, and maybe get up there in my age group. This race attracts the best runners in the Chicagoland area, those that need a tune-up race just before Boston. It sells out within a few days of opening. Very difficult to place high in the AG, but next year I'm going to wreck some havoc!!!!!!!!
Short version:<br>
1:28:57 actual time, 1:29:05 gun time. Busted my PR on this course from two years ago.... 1:43! Simply it was best overall race ever.<br><br>
Long version:<br>
So let me set the stage here. March Madness HM in Cary, IL is dubbed the toughest race in Northern, IL. The reason is simply because its hilly... very hilly. I've done this race twice before, the last time was two years ago where I went 1:43 something. I thought that was a great race actually as I started out at 8min/miles and stayed consistent throughout.<br><br>
Today is a different story. Two years later, I've become a triathlete, and have been training pretty hard for Ironman. Last year I thought I was slowing down a bit on the run. Despite being fit last year, my best HM time was 1:33 at Madison. Madison is not a flat course, but its nothing like the one in Cary, IL. I thought with my current fitness level however and some recent track results, I may... may possibly go under 1:33, probably between 1:31 - 1:33. I thought my best chances of breaking 1:30 this year would be again at Madison in late May.<br><br>
Splits:<br>
1 - 7:09<br>
2 - 6:56<br>
3 - 6:45<br>
4 - 6:53<br>
5 - 6:30<br>
6 - 7:02<br>
7 - 6:54<br>
8 - 6:49<br>
9 - 6:17<br>
10 - 6:52<br>
11 - 6:55<br>
12 - 6:49<br>
13 - 6:22<br>
13.1 - 1:28:57 - 6:47min/mile!<br><br>
Miles 1-3. The goal was to take it easy of course. And generally the first 3 miles where rolling and not that bad. After mile 1, I felt pretty good and just went from there. When I saw that mile 2 was under 7, I thought maybe I have a chance to get around 1:30. My original plan was to keep the pace around 7min miles. After mile 3, I really started thinking about 1:30. However I kept telling myself to relax, relax, forget about the time, just run solid.<br><br>
Miles 4-6. Mile 4 was tough. One of the first biggest climbs. What comes up must come down, so I can only guess that the 6:30 in mile 5 was mostly a descent, but mile 6 was another climb. It was definitely getting tougher and I kept thinking to myself all the hard training I've done on the computrainer on the treadmill. I thought about this forum actually and all the motivation I get from it! This was nothing I was ready to take some more pain!<br><br>
Miles 7-9. Miles 7 and 8 were again tough, but I was holding pace. I knew I needed to keep it around 6:52 or so to break 1:30. At mile 9 I went 6:17!!! I was like WTF is going on. 9 miles down... I was going to do it.. I knew it. I saw a few people stop with cramps or they just seemed to be walking. I just kept thinking to myself, anything can happen, just stay relaxed, under control.<br><br>
Miles 10-12. The next 3 miles, man, I forget which mile, but there was a real long climb on one of these, and I kept looking up the road and after the climb it seemed like there was another climb ahead, but we turned left instead of straight... whewww... After mile 12 a spectator said something to me like "you are going to break 1:30". At that point I threw caution to the wind and just hammered it.<br><br>
Miles 13 - 13.1. I went 6:22 in the last mile, and it was not a descent. More ascent than anything but not like some of the climbs I just had. When it was over I was happy... of course!.. but exhausted. I gave it all I had and ran a smart race... I didn't burn up and started off a little slower and tried to build throughout.<br><br>
This was a great race result going into IMAZ, my confidence is now sky high and I feel confident I'll have a strong race. Just need to keep all the parts working. I'm pretty convinced that my long hard hours on the computrainer has made me a much better runner. Actually over the last several years I thought I was just getting slower because I was getting older. That's a joke now.. I realize that! In fact I should be able to get faster and faster over the next several years!<br><br>
I can't wait to do this race next year, I plan on getting better and better, and maybe get up there in my age group. This race attracts the best runners in the Chicagoland area, those that need a tune-up race just before Boston. It sells out within a few days of opening. Very difficult to place high in the AG, but next year I'm going to wreck some havoc!!!!!!!!
