Galloping Gobbler 4 Miler - Run

I started with a group of friends and hoped to hang on to them if my knee held up. The start of the race was as smooth as I recall having ever started. This year, after crossing the start line, there didn't seem to be any young little rabbits that launch like a rocket for the first half. Ike to full mile and then can't hold their pace and slow down in front of people nearly getting run over and causing people to fall. It seemed that most people had staged themselves rather well in general and things set off smoothly.
The first mile of the race is downhill and always the fastest mile, today was no exception. I saw the first mile split hit my watch and was surprised at the pace but I had felt the efforts of the pace throughout this mile. Even being a downhill it was a hard pace.
Mile 2 began with a slight downhill before beginning to roll up and down. I recall as I was hitting this stretch of the race that there would be leaves and, as warned by the RD, some muddy spots near the maintenance barn. With all of the problems with my knee recently I tried to be cautious as I observed these areas ahead of me. There were piles of leaves off the sides of the access roads and loose leaves on much of the road surface. I don't recall actually slowing, at least consciously, but according to lap data that's what happened.
There was also a place maybe a half mile into this 2 mile that I felt a tweak in my knee. It wasn't bad enough to make me whence or anything like that, but it definitely made me take notice. I recall thinking about slowing down. But, since my heart likes to race, I couldn't slow down and turn this into a Zn2 run and finish it out. I do however feel like my subconscious mind slowed me a little after looking at the HR data and pacing info post race. The course profile itself would have dictated some slowing, but I think there was more there than I felt at the time.
Mile three flattened out somewhat with it being much smaller rolling hills. It also became a bit more lonely at this point. There were still people easily within site in front and behind, I could still hear runners behind me, they were just thinned out and most people were positioned where they would remain for the rest of the race. This is the spot in the race where things become a little more mental. The stress of the pace to this point begins to work on your mind. HR is high and lactic acid is pummeling your legs and you feel like you have to slow down or walk.... It appears I slowed down, based on HR data. However the slowdown could again be attributed to the second tweak in my knee. Another quick, sharp pain, again, not intense, but making me take notice. After a few more steps, a little more distance I decided to hold on. However, I also decided that would be the last pain I would have before making sure I slowed down and dialed back to a Zn2 effort. I held onto what I thought I could but again, I probably slowed slight here too, on what would, or should have been, the second fastest part of the course.
The final mile begins with a downhill and the last reprieve until the finishing line. From maybe 1/4 of a mile on it pitches uphill for the remainder of the race. As is the case with much of the geographic area it not a mountainous upward pitch but large enough to make you have to or want to slow down. At this point in the race it's a little easier mentally to grab on to the wheel tighter and suffer more knowing it's almost over. I did what I could to, at a minimum, hold on to my pace if not increase it. I couldn't tell how I was doing in my attempt to run faster but it was certainly hurting...

...And then it happened! Strasser came running up beside me, prodding me along. "C'mon! You've got this! Pick it up! Not much further!" I tried to pick it up but felt like I couldn't. But in his incessant prodding I somehow found something more to give. The last 1/4 mile was miserable! My HR as Mark poked at me was beginning to peak and my lungs began to burn horribly.

Finally I approached the finish line and collected my finishing bread. I tried looking for some white or wheat bread but I think they only have the pumpkin now.

A couple of things come to mind for this question.

Following Ironman Chattanooga I haven't done much running, really any runnng, above Zn2 to keep hold of the speed developed during the training cycle. I have busted into some low Zn3 stuff a couple of times but not for any sustained lengths of time, at least enough to provide any maintenance. That's reason one.

Secondly, the pain and struggles with my knee are keeping me from doing some of the things to maintain fitness. So it's not of particular surprise that this was one of my slowest races here.

I had given Lis my shirt so she could have it for her walk of this event so I shivered for while after finishing my warm down, which also hurt my knee. I decided to run a warm down hoping it would provide some relief to the pain that had developed after stopping the run. It didn't do that, at least that I could tell.
After the war, down I talked to all kinds of people again and stood outside in my shorts and soaked with sweat long sleeve shirt until the shivering uncontrollably, then I went inside and warmed up...sort of. The chills actually didn't leave me for a couple of hours.


I have to be honest! And it pains me to put the words down. I probably shouldn't have raced this one. The recent history with my knee doesn't appear good and longevity, I suppose, could be in question.
In my heart all I can see is racing. My blood runs thick with the desire to place the mental and physical strains on my body, placing myself into something I can challenge myself with whenever I compete in an event.
A few years ago I walked this race with Lis because of the injury to my knee sustained during my bike crash. It was all I could do! Mentally, it was a harder battle than some of the hardest fought races I'd been a competitor in.
I suppose all good things must come to an end at some point, and my days may be numbered. That being said, I will not be giving up the adrenaline anytime soon. I will do what I can to find every potential avenue to extend my triathlon and running hobby and see if I can make my dreams a reality.
There's remains no question whatsoever that a knee replacement is in my future. I will do what I can to push it as far into the future as I possibly can, but inevitable is what it will remain.
This literally eats away at my being. It's incredibly hard for me to be so close to Kona and almost feel it slipping away as the wearing of my knee becomes a limiting factor. Finding a balance between staying healthy and doing something I love may drive me into some unknown destination of mental strain I'm unable to imagine...
...Time will tell.


I love this race! The atmosphere, for some reason, is one of the best I get to be involved with each year. lLove it!