Mystic Places Marathon - 10 Mile - Run10 Mile

Went in with a plan to run the first 6 miles comfortably and then negative split the last half. Executed plan pretty well (best I can tell based on the few splits I was able to get).

Started out at what felt like a quick pace. Last year I had a horrible mile 1 so I decided I would go out a little harder than I normally do for road races and then settle in once I had gotten around people and had some open space. Took about a mile (I'm guessing as didn't see the mile marker) for legs to really feel loose and warm-up. About 10 minutes into the run the leaders are coming back at us down the other side of the road. What the heck. Didn't remember that from last year. Get to the end of the road to the turnaround and here's a whole bunch of folks coming back at us. Cptn Jack was right there with me and I asked him if we missed a turn somewhere. Thought for sure the whole 10 mile race would be DQ'd as I remembered last year very early into the race we merged with the marathon runners. Post race: was talking to a friend of mine who was in the lead pack of 10 milers. Apparently about a mile in they were chased down by a biker indicating they missed the merge (and the rest of us cattle just followed the herd). It seems the race directors/volunteers never directed them to the merge so yes the entire 10 mile race did do a slightly different course for the first little over a mile.

Had a plan to try to run comfortably for the first 6 miles and then pick the pace up for the last 4. Executed plan as the first 4 miles I felt really good. Hit the 4-5 stretch and just felt awesome running along the shore. Took a gel / water at the mile 5 aid station and then picked it up. At Mile 7 jacked the pace up a little more and just before the 9 mile mark began hoping I didn't increase the pace too early. Made the 180 degree turn at mile 9 and then just went for broke. Saw Rob about 1 min later running well. Had this brief thought that there was no way I was going to let him catch me. Saw the 1:20:XX at the finish and pushed to try to break 1:21:00 but just not enough there. Pretty much finished on empty.

6 oz Accelerade (3 oz at 15 min, 3 oz at 30 min), Carb-Boom gel/3 oz water around 5 miles, 3 oz water at 7 miles.

Nothing. Had a plan going in and executed on it. Hoped to beat last years time (1:24:24) and did.

Saw Mark and Dan at the finish. Grabbed one of those space age, silvery blankets, water, a little stretching and walked back out on the course to see Pam and Polly finish. Hung out awhile at the food tent, chatting and listening to a band.


Weight. I wonder how much faster I can run merely by dropping another 15 pounds.


Like this race and the course. Couldn't have asked for a nicer day condition wise. Unfortunate about the lack of directing the 10 mile group to the merge. Wonder how much extra we ran. The course is actually quite conducive to spectating. My wife and kids, Polly's husband and Rob's wife were out there cheering us on, finding great locations allowing us to run past them 6 times in the course of 10 miles.

This may end up being my last race of the season (may do some fun runs) and I couldn't be happier with how it went. Many of you know of my injury struggles back in June and July. To run this well despite the time off for healing and PT has me fired up to see what will happen next season when, knock on wood, I'm injury free. Wound up PR'ing the distance taking 3min 23sec off last years time.