My goals for this run were not hurt myself and run a decent pace (for me). Smokin for me would have been 8 min/mile. I was looking to be under 9 min/mile.

This race starts off very crowded and stays that way for about 4 miles. As you can see from my lap data the start was slow. I was running without my running partner for a change so I only had to worry about myself. I fought my way through the crowds and settled into my pace.

I tried not to look at my watch too much other than to take a peek at my HR. I enjoyed watching the ponytails and listening to the music as I passed the bands.

I had gatorade (endurance) in my water bottle and I was chewing on Clif shots as I went along. I dumped water on my head at each waterstop and drank my gatorade as I went along.

I was happy with my pace as the race progressed. When I got to the Hart bridge I held my chin up and powered my way up it. My pace dropped some and my HR spiked but I felt good and kept on trucking.

At the top (just past mile 8) I looked down at the long stream of runners ahead of me. I tried not to let the downhill get away with me so that I wouldn't fall and hurt myself.

When the hill started to subside I started to pick up my pace. When I rounded the corner past Alltel stadium I could see the end. I stretched out my stride and sped up some more.

I crossed the line at 1:21 and change but my chip time was 1:17:39.

I got my medal and took off my chip and headed for the beer. I ran into my running partner at the beer tent. She was psyched because she came in right at 1:20:00. That had been her goal.

I was a little bummed that she had beat me in but I was happy for her.

Nuttin.

Drank a couple free beers then went and ran the 1 mile fun run with my kids.

After all that it was off to help my daughter move from her apartment in to her house. The stairs got old after a bit.