You could not have asked for a better day to run. It was fairly cool early in the morning and by the time the gun went off it was perfect. This course is advertised by the RD as Fast, Fast, Fast, but every year I feel differently. Don't get me wrong, I love the race and the course. I just feel it is not as "fast" as the people not racing it think it is. There is about a two mile section that they actually moved in 50 tons of dirt to dry out the rail road bed. This created a muddy, sandy, gravel section. Extremely fun to run in, but certainly not fast. Once you get out of that it is rolling and you can open it up a bit.
My goal coming into the race was to run comfortable at 5 seconds per milevfaster than marathon goal pace, cross the finish line (400 yards from Monadnock High Track), then do an all out mile. The objective was to see what my legs could do when they didn't want to do anything at all. I was confident I would stick to the plan all the way until the gun went off. What the hell happens when the gun goes off? I would really like to know. My first mile was 5:04. Idiot! I couldn't control myself until after 5K. At this point I realized it was not going to be as easy of a day as I thought it was. I turned my watch off and just decided to run on feel. I crossed the line in 1:09:23 (5:18 per mile pace), which is a PR for me and pleased. I think that no matter what happens you always feel you could have gone faster. Anyway, after a few minutes me and Andy McCarron headed over to the track, asked ourselves, "What the hell is wrong with us?", then proceeded to gut out an all out effort four times around track. I came in at 4:47 and I think Andy hit 5:08. It was hard but worth it. All in all it was a really good day and look forward to Ollie next week. Especially the Harpoon Beer!
Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/nh/Sep6_Swanze_set1.shtml
My goal coming into the race was to run comfortable at 5 seconds per milevfaster than marathon goal pace, cross the finish line (400 yards from Monadnock High Track), then do an all out mile. The objective was to see what my legs could do when they didn't want to do anything at all. I was confident I would stick to the plan all the way until the gun went off. What the hell happens when the gun goes off? I would really like to know. My first mile was 5:04. Idiot! I couldn't control myself until after 5K. At this point I realized it was not going to be as easy of a day as I thought it was. I turned my watch off and just decided to run on feel. I crossed the line in 1:09:23 (5:18 per mile pace), which is a PR for me and pleased. I think that no matter what happens you always feel you could have gone faster. Anyway, after a few minutes me and Andy McCarron headed over to the track, asked ourselves, "What the hell is wrong with us?", then proceeded to gut out an all out effort four times around track. I came in at 4:47 and I think Andy hit 5:08. It was hard but worth it. All in all it was a really good day and look forward to Ollie next week. Especially the Harpoon Beer!
Results: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/nh/Sep6_Swanze_set1.shtml
That is a helluva day.
ReplyDeleteA pr followed by an all-out mile?! Marvelously sadistic...I've noticed you've rocked the C. DeMar marathon the last several years. I'm planning on doing it for the first time later this month. Any advice on the course?
ReplyDeleteThe first 14 miles are down hill. Very easy to go out too fast. The second half is pretty flat with the exception of George Street at mile 22(It is very steep and very short). It is a pretty good event.
ReplyDeleteNice run, crazy doing the mile after! Looks like you are rolling toward a big PR at Baystate.
ReplyDeleteThat's the plan man.
ReplyDelete