I squeezed into the first wave and ran with a pace buddy for 6.5 miles. Unfortunately the pace was faster than I could handle this day and had to walk for a bit to get heart rate down. I hit a HR at mile 6.5 I had never hit in training (192). I was way ahead of 2 hour pace at the half way point and walked / ran for the rest to squeak in at 1:56:00 on the clock. I ran very hard the last 1.5 and was pushing 7:30/mile when I came across the line. HR = 198 - not a fun place but I knew I left it all out on the course.

9:00 / 8:50 / 8:40 / 8:30 / 8:20 / 8:10 / 8:00 / 7:50 / 7:40 / 7:30 / 7:20 / 7:10 / 7:00

If I were to attempt this again and aim for 1:45 I would attempt to hit the splits listed above.

Mile 1 - 8:10 (Avg Pace 8:10 /best pace 7:42)
Mile 2 - 16:00 (Avg Pace 7:49 /best pace 7:25)
Mile 3 - 23:55 (Avg Pace 7:54 /best pace 7:16)
Mile 4 - 31:41 (Avg Pace 7:46 /best pace 6:52)
Mile 5 - 39:44 (Avg Pace 8:02 / best pace 7:24)
Mile 6 - 47:51 (Avg Pace 8:07 / best pace 7:19)
Mile 7 - 56:30

305 set to shut off below a certain pace so nothing past this point since Justin sailed into the sunset.

I did not sleep hardly at all the night before which is clearly not helpful. I have to get sleep before a race somehow.

lack of sleep - fitness - too fast / too early


I highly recommend this race to anyone interested in this run distance. Houston was well represented by this event.