Aimed to pace myself at 11:00/mi but HR was not cooperating so slowed down to compensate in the early miles. From miles 1 to 6 once I saw my HR climb to mid Z3 I walked to get back down to low to mid Z2. Early hills were done and were mostly gentle moving on but HR kept climbing despite the 11:30ish pace I was going at then being forced to walk to keep HR as low and controlled as possible. At this point plan A was gone and plan B was on it's way to failing me. HR and RPE were lining up so I knew I'd have a bad finish if I kept my HR in high Z3 and low Z4 in the teen miles. My left big toe started feeling some discomfort, like my left shoe's too small but it wasn't so bad that I ended up ignoring it.

Plan C, figure this shit out and go with it. It was basically go with feel and best guess pace to not blow up and hit the wall. Miles 19-22 were mentally tough to get through. The heat and humidity must have compounded my dehydrated state race morning. I slept well all week and locked in my nutrition and hydration. At 9pm before the race I developed bad bloat and sour stomach. Tums helped aid the discomfort but I peed almost every hour from 11pm to 3pm. I also farted all night, hehehe!

I got 1 REM cycle in but didn't think to drink water to replenish the lost fluid. And drinking too much race morning will only make pee more the early miles of the race so I was stuck in a dilemma. I decided to stick with just 1 full glass of water and sip about 8oz of watered down Gatorade before the race.

So the miles in the teens were putting me in high Z3/low Z4 average HR and my RPE breathing matched. I was so baffled by this. All the 400m hills and 800m Yassos and lotsa easy runs (with some at race pace during peak) should have prepared me well for the course profile here but nothing was lining up. I was pacing myself at my LSD run pace yet at near 10k effort HR and RPE!

My legs started feeling tired close to mile 20 and worsened to 22 and at this point, my HR was hitting Z5 forcing me to walk longer to calm it down. I told myself to go all in after 22 and I did. I ran until my legs shook so bad I had to walk then run again until the final stretch about half a mile away. I could almost see the finish chute and I kept telling myself, "It'll be over soon, just keep going!" I caught some runners who passed me at mile 22-24 which gave me more confidence to make it to the finish chute strong and I made it! I did not hit the wall!



More rolling hills training???

Walked slowly and carefully to the massage tent while drinking water and eating a banana.


85% humidity at the start. 70° temps in the later hours of the race. Not much rolling hills training???


There were more spectators this year than last. I did lotsa runs with music but I forgot it and ended up not needing it. The race itself is well organized. Volunteers were great. Course is not to be taken lightly.