Wow. I really exceeded my expectations. I had made up my mind to run a 1:45 race (8:00/mi pace), but I felt good and my early pace, near 7:30, was at a sustainable HR (low 150's) and there was very little pain in my legs. To finish with a sub 7:30 pace is unbelievable - I couldn't hold that pace for my first 10K of the season, so I've really made a lot of progress. I passed a lot of people and that's always fun - very motivating, like I'm doing something right.
Mile 5 was slower because I walked through a water stop and there was a stretch of 2 lane road where several times I had to wait a long time to get around people. I saw my 7 mile split and felt really good and tried to push a little harder. Mile 8 had a bridge, so that slowed me down, but I was very pleased with my mile splits after that. And I'm downright proud of my final 5K, including a sub 7:00 mile at the end. Looking at the race results, the runners that finished around me had faster 10mi splits, so my final 5K really improved my finishing place.

Start in a lower corral. My first mile was my worst because I had to run around and wait for so many people. I maybe could have paced myself a little quicker early on, but would I have had enough gas in the tank for that final 5K push? Better knowledge of the course would have helped. I was expecting a water station at mile 8, and was going to take a gel before that, but it was at mile 8.5 and we rounded a corner prior to the station and didn't have enough time to take the gel, so I went gel-less the rest of the way.

Got a bottle of Endurox from Brenda at the finish lie. Drank a free bottle of Amino Vital, ate a Power Bar Protein, walked on the beach a little bit, and then carried my 50lb daughter on my shoulders for 12 blocks to get a DQ blizzard.
Post script - calves were sore and tight Monday and again today, but otherwise very little discomfort.


The number of people in the race, starting too far back.


Race was great, pre-race expo was good. I wish I had been able to take advantage of the post race concerts. Man were there a lot of people! It was very cool to meet fellow BTers Janelle and Jim from Augusta, who are friends of Brenda's cousins from Augusta (small world).