After last time, seeded myself a little closer to the front but not overly so. Started off comfortably in traffic thinking I had some good people to pace with and block the wind but realized it was a little slow so I cut left where people were moving up. Got settled in and eventually was in the open. Hit the first mile in 8:03 but the HR was up near LT - kind of disappointing to have the HR that high for that pace :( Into the second mile, a couple of folks who were behind me went by, I figured I slowed down. They moved up about 20 seconds ahead. Saw the leaders coming back towards me and I think I counted 8 back to Jason, he was looking good. Went around the roundabout at Carson Nature Center and headed back north. Hit the 2 mile mark with a second mile of 8:16. Slowed more than I had hoped for. Wasn't sure how I was doing, but I kept those folks in sight. Around where I thought the 3 mile mark should be, a couple of more went past me. I saw 9:11 on the lap and was seriously hoping I had missed the marker. Came up on a guy and went by and still had the 4 who had passed me within 20-30 seconds. Stripped off the outer shirt at the water station between the start and finish lines, walked while I had a couple of cups of water and headed off for the last bit. Tried to pick up the pace some as I picked out once guy 5 ahead of me to target, He was about 30 secs up at this point. Everyone ahead of me was closing in on him too. Came off the bridge and we ended up lined up single file - passed some traffic heading the other way and then we all spread out and I picked my way through. Tried to make sure I stayed ahead while also thinking about hitting my 40 minute goal - wasn't sure how far I had left though. I tried to stay steady and strong and as I crossed the bridge back over the Platte River saw the finish line - closer than I expected. Beat the target I was hoping for today!

Start off with one less layer on the upper body. Stay stronger the second mile, and have a better base coming into it.

Grabbed a few glasses of water, then headed out and did the last mile or so in reverse with Jason. Shared my race story and listened to his - different story of how things go up at the front of the pack. There was a definitive break of folks within the first 200 yards.
Nice casual pace but checking my HR it averaged low zone 3 for the cool down run.

changed, had a couple of sodas bananas and snack and watch the awards and door prize drawing.


Still carrying excess weight, and being sick the week before missing the week of training.


CMRA puts on a great race for the money - an awesome value.

When your a Clydesdale, you have to wonder about a race measured in Furlongs !!!!