My training to this point is all focused around a HIM in 4 weeks. I have really focused my training to this point on high run volume and high bike intensity. As a result, I have done very little speed work on the run. That brought a bit of doubt to my mind on whether sub :39 was possible. I also knew that I was in great shape and needed to trust it.

It was a pretty crowded start and there are 5 quick turns right away that can be tricky with all the people. I tried to position myself well coming into the corners so that I would not have to slow down or take a wide route and did pretty well. We get to a long straightaway and the first mile comes through at 6:04 which is slower than last year but a much wiser decision. I kept thinking to myself at this point "you really think you can hold sub 6:15s this whole race" kinda doubting myself a bit.

I wear my Garmin and like to look at it quite frequently in races this short to make certain that I am keeping the effort level high. I had pace and average pace set on the screen. The goal is to keep that average pace below 6:15 until the finish line. Everytime my pace would drop a little I would pick up the effort. It is a great check for me.

Came through the second mile in 6:08 and still feeling ok but the effort level is definitely high and still doubting I can hold this. I have some good running company at this point and its a bit easier to run hard with other folks. We head around the Zoo parking lot and great crowds here along with a band. Once by the Zoo it is a long straightaway back to downtown. I was consistenly passing folks one by one. 6:10 ticks off the third mile and average pace was 6:08 so I was in a good spot but knew the hills were coming.

About this time I had gapped up to two runners and they were nice to pace off of for a bit. We got back into downtown and a couple of quick corners that I focused on taking the straightest possible line through. We came through mile 4 and I was still holding pace pretty well. I was just thinking to myself "13 minutes and the show is over...hold it together". I passed those two people at the base of the first hill by the highway and shuffled up as quick as possible and then trying to recover on the downhill but not letting pace slip.

We crossed the single lane bridge which was littered with cold patch filling the potholes so that was a little tricky. Once across the bridge we pass through mile 5 and I am reeling in quite a few more people although that hill brought my pace down quite a bit. Average pace is now at 6:11 although I know I would have to totally break down to not get under :39. Immediately across the bridge is the second of the hills and this is not as steep but much longer. I reeled in 2 more people on the climb and now...I am hurting!

There are a few more small rollers before we cross under the highway and then it is mainly a downhill finish. I was determined to keep the pace fast and give it all I had. The crowds really line the course through here which makes it easier to go hard. We passed by the finish line one street over and can hear the announcer. We make a little bit of a long hairpin turn before the straightaway to the finish. I push as hard as I can to the finish. Once the clock comes into sight I know I am well under 39:00 and empty the tank.

38:41 Officially. I had 6.30 miles at 6:09 pace on the Garmin. Obviously the number of turns and width of the streets really make a difference. I thought I did pretty good running the tangents but not so much I guess.

Very happy with the result. Definitely rewarding to have all the training pay off with a new PR by almost 40 seconds from a year ago.

Mile 1: 6:04
Mile 2: 6:08
Mile 3: 6:10
Mile 4: 6:10
Mile 5: 6:15 (hills)
Mile 6: 6:19 (hills)
0.2: 5:36 pace

Try to run the tangents a little bit better as it makes a huge difference with the wide City streets.

This is the second year in a row I have finished 4th AG...so close to the hardware...next year!

I took some gatorade and a bagel and talked with some of the other athletes for about 15 minutes. I picked up my bag very quickly at the bag check and walked back to the car.

Ran 5 miles watching the 25K race. As I was running another girl was doing the same thing. We started chatting about the race and turns out she is the wife of one of the Hansons of the Hanson-Brooks running team. She was heading out to find the lead females. She was very nice. We probably ran 2 miles together talking about her training and upcoming races.


Those pesky rollers in the last 2 miles :).


One of the best races around!