Race day in Olympia! I drove down here on Saturday afternoon because it is 2.5 hours away, and because my son lives here and I wanted to visit with him. The race begins and ends on his campus actually. An interesting 1/2 marathon, because it is a fund raiser for Evergreen College's XC team, and also a qualifying run for many college athletes trying to get to nationals. So, I had to adjust my thinking about where I would be in the pack overall! Quite a ways further back. Anyway, my goal was not to "race", but to run the whole thing at my marathon pace. This is a great exercise for me, since I have NEVER paced a 1/2 well in my whole life. I go out fast (not just a little fast, but WAY to fast), and manage to finish well usually anyway. I have never had the experience of starting out at an appropriate pace and having fuel to burn at the end. Until today! Pace is supposed to be 8:25 and the first 8 miles were average of 8:19, with the first three at 8:22! Wow. I expected the beginning to be difficult, but I didn't expect to be "holding back" so much during the middle of the race. Maintaining this pace was challenging every mile. Course was beautiful, rural roads in and around the Evergreen Campus, with some rolling hills and one big dip into a ravine and up the other side. Course support was minimal, but adequate. I actually managed to consume 5 shot blocks and three tiny cups of water during the run, also a first for me. At the beginning of the ninth mile, my watch stopped, because apparently the lap counter was full!?!?!? I still felt fantastic. My mantra "Just relax and enjoy the ride" was still workin' for me, and I was truly relaxed and enjoying exactly where I was. So, without the watch, I had no choice but to try to hold the same pace I had managed thus far. I felt like I was doing that. Miles 10-12 were an out and back, with the last water at mile 11, and a turn around. Mile 12 started a rather short, steep uphill climb, which I pushed up, still feeling very strong. By the middle of mile 12, I started looking around for where we were to finish, but the flaggers were pointing us in a different direction. So, always a wise decision I think, I followed their direction. I kicked as hard as I could the last 600m, and was met by my son and his friend. I drank my coconut water, then jogged back to find my friend who was about a mile back when I found her, struggling just a bit. Jogged her in and then checked my time. I was in shock! 1:42! I don't know what happened in those last few miles, but this is NOT a 8:25 pace. I think its more like just under 8:00. Anyway, I'm happy about the PR and how freakin' strong I felt. I really feel like I could have gone faster! I am not at all tired today (posting this Monday). Went for a swim this morning and will jog this afternoon. WhooHoo!
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