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Comments: I started off feeling great! I had grabbed a 2:15 timing bracelet at the expo and planned to use it as a rough guide. I logged the first couple miles way faster than the guide, which was nice to have "in the bank" but I didn't want to blow up either so I slowed my row a bit for mile 3. I was eating a shot block every 2 miles without too much trouble. I hate that I have to chew those with my mouth open though, so rude. We wound our way past Bronco's stadium and around Sloan's Lake. Laffinrock said that she'd be at the north end of the lake so I started to watch for her. Oddly, though, I got distracted from watching for her and was pleasantly surprised when I heard her cheering. I ran over for a quick hug and told her I was feeling great. Which was true... for about another mile. I don't know if it was the pavement, or the canted lanes on the road but during the 7th mile my calves, yes both, started to tighten. I tried to maintain my pace as best I could because everything else still felt pretty good but the calves got louder and louder as the miles clicked by. I'd been walking the water stops because I am not good at drinking on the run, so I continued that practice but was able to keep "running" otherwise. I'd set up the athlete tracker to text me (and DH) when DS2 and I passed the checkpoints. So every 5k or so I got a pleasant beep that indicated that either DS2 or I had passed a mark. It was nice having those. DS2 had a DNF at this race last year so I was awesome to hear him continue to get further and further in front of me, and to finish! My finish was less than ideal, but I'll take it considering the fact that I had so much down time this year because of the IT Band issue. What would you do differently?: Maybe run the middle of the street (top of the hill) like DS2 thought to do. Not have injuries. I should have turned my focus to RnR after my August tri instead of continuing with the group training.  Post race
Warm down: Found DS2, got our gear, got some finisher shirts, took the train back to the hotel, then pigged out at IHOP, then BBQ, then Sushi :) What limited your ability to perform faster: Injury, non-run-focused training Event comments: I enjoy the RnR series. The bands every mile or so are great and the supporters lining the streets of Denver are wonderful. Last updated: 2014-07-03 12:00 AM
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United States
Competitor Group, Inc.
60F / 16C
Overcast
Overall Rank = 4701/8146
Age Group = 45-49W
Age Group Rank = 183/420
DS2 and I got in to town just in time to hit the expo before it closed. We walked the expo a little bit. I was hoping to get my race nutrition at the expo but PowerBar only had their solid food with them... 'cause that's helpful for a running race! So after the expo DS2 and I went to Whole Foods to get breakfast and hoped to find some better race options. No dice on the gels so I would have to use the Shot Blocks I brought with me. Not an awful choice but they are hard for me to chew during a race.
Then it was off to the pre-race dinner at Beau Jo's pizza with DS2 and Laffinrock and her DH. It was nice to "catch up" with her (hadn't seen her in nearly a month!) and relax and think about something other than the race. After dinner DS2 and I scoped out our route to the train then headed to the hotel to get a good night's sleep.
At the expo I also picked up a phone/nutrition carrier belt because my phone had been "boucy" in my arm band the last couple runs. I was unsure about using it for the race but thought I could try it a bit and check for bouncy-ness beforehand.
Before bed I laid out all of my gear and set the alarm for 4:15, much to DS2's dimay. He doesn't like getting to races early but as long as he's running with me that's the way it'll be.
The alarm went off and I got up and dressed. I ate a bagel thin with some almond butter and a hotel-room coffee. The newly purchased belt didn't fit over my oversized RnR bib and although it had bib hooks the bib would hand down far too low so I went with my "old" arm band and the trusty safety pins.
We got to the train and got on with a few other runners. We discussed needing to switch trains to get to the terminal downtown, closest to the race. So at the Auraria Station several of us got off the train (to the confused looks of those who stayed on the train) and waited for the train that would get us to the race. Once we finally arrived downtown we walked the few blocks to City Center Park. The first order of business was the porta-john lines. Once we were done there we scouted out the gear check where DS2 parted with his outer layer of clothes (I was wearing and old sweatshirt I could discard). Then we made it to our corral just as the wheelchair racers took off. Then we had the national anthem, then the few corrals before us, then go time!
I really wanted to get some warm up done before this race but there wasn't time. We barely got to our corral as the race was starting.