The Grim Mile 2015 Race Recap

I had never raced a mile on a track before. I had, however raced two "road" one milers in 2011 - the Navy Pier Mile and the Main Street Mile. Since these were both on the road, I was excited to see how I would do with an "official mile" at the Grim Mile held on Friday night. Perhaps I would feel a little like Roger Bannister for five minutes and change. After the evening was over I really fell in love with the format. If steady paced marathons are the slow drip of endorphins, then all-out mile races are a large syringe shot right in the jugular. I was flying high after this one, and realize that I could easily get addicted to this distance and the track (if I'm not already)!

Welcome!

Pre-Race:

I drove five miles due west of my house and arrived at the Luther North High School track where there was plentiful street parking.  I went in the high school's gym and got my bib and race singlet (first "free" race singlet ever). I went outside where they were holding the heats for kids and teenagers, and pinned my race bib on. I spotted Zoe who was hanging out, watching the heats unfold. She had decided to enter the women's elite race which would not be held for another 1.5 hours.

Hanging with Zoe before our respective heats

This was a casual race which was reminiscent of a high school track meet where the only distance was one mile. The track itself was old school, pre-metric, so each lap was a quarter mile, instead of the standard 400m, which meant that we only had to do exactly four laps. They had a concession stand that was open selling refreshments and multiple massage tables set out by Athletico. This was a sporting event for spectators to linger at and enjoy and it was free! 

Just before my heat, we went for a shakeout run around the block and then watched the successive 10 year age groups compete. I made a game out of trying to judge who was going to win, based on the pain reflected in the participant's facial expressions as they zoomed past each lap. That's the cool thing about a track race - you can watch an entire race unfold in front of your eyes and watch the form and the faces of the runners up-close all without having to move a muscle. Road races are obviously harder to keep track of when you're spectating live, as you only get to see a small chunk of the entire race.

Finally around 7:30, it was time for my age group race.

Milling around waiting for our race to start

My goal for the race was to run somewhere between a 5:15 and a 5:20 mile. 5:15 was based of the McMillan Calculator using my 5k time from April (18:10).  I really wanted to go sub-5:00, but I also wanted to run a decent, controlled race and not flame out just because my goal was unrealistic. By the way, a 4:59 mile according to McMillan is equivalent to a 17:18 5k! So, maybe it's out of my reach - for now.

Anyway, they actually used a starting gun for each heat (again very old school) and with a BANG! We were off!

The Race:

Mile 0.25:  There were three women and three men in our heat. The other two guys shot out ahead of me, and I did not give chase, as I was really only trying to hit my goal for a 1:20 first lap. I kept checking my Garmin to make sure I didn't over-speed. Near the end of the first lap, I gradually made my way up to the guy in 2nd place....

Lap 1 in 3rd place

and by the end of the first lap came up to him and started to make my move. 1:19 (5:15/mile pace).

Making my move into 2nd Place after lap 1

Mile 0.50: I felt remarkably comfortable at this point, I guess all of my track-work was paying off. I kept behind the guy in the lead and started to separate from third place. 1:18 (5:10/mile pace).

Still in 2nd Place during lap 2

Mile 0.75: The leader swerved to lap a couple of runners who were taking up lanes one and two and a few seconds later I did the same. I was trying to keep good form and to focus on the leader and let him "pull" me along! 1:17 (5:10/mile pace).

About 30 feet behind at the end of lap 3

Mile 1.0: About 300m from the finish, I made my move. I wanted to at least be even with first place as we took the final turn, so I got right behind him, then quickly thereafter, we were running neck and neck. Then suddenly, boom goes the dynamite, I hit the accelerator like I have never hit it in my life, assuming he would make a move to chase me, I did not want to leave anything on the table.  I just kept pumping my arms and driving my legs as fast as possible.  1:10 (4:42/mile).

Making my move in the final straightaway

Flying towards the finish

Mile 1.05: My feet were flying so fast that it must have been someone else running this race. I have never seen my Garmin register anything below a 4:00/pace before! I crossed the finish line five seconds ahead in first place! 0:11 (3:49/mile)!

The moment my Garmin went below 4:00/mile pace for the first time ever!

Finished!

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 5:13.20

Official Pace: 5:13/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:01/mile

Place Overall: 1st out of 6

Analysis:

Since this was my first track mile - instant PR! My pacing was pretty spot on for my goal, and I even ran 2 seconds faster than plan, mainly in part to having a competitor who was evenly matched with me.

I don't know how I didn't run perfect tangents as I ran an extra (0.05) according to Garmin. I did a little passing, but really can't figure out the extra distance. Oh well. I am now interested in buying track spikes as I looked out of place racing with my road shoes! Those new spikes would likely get used soon, as I am seriously interested in trying to run more track races, perhaps an 800m next?

Awards ceremony with Mr. Grim (on the right)

Post Race:

I chatted with my fellow competitors and their coaches who were all analyzing my race and saying nice things. I then made my way back to sit down and watch the elite women's race (which Zoe won!), and then the elite men's race. Then it was time for the award's ceremony and we got to pose with Mr. Grim himself. I jumped in the car and headed home, completely pumped full of endorphins from the evening's events. Here's hoping I can get back to the track for another "fix" soon! 

Next Up:
Chicago Rock n' Roll Half.

Roselle Run for the Roses 2015 Race Recap

The plan for this race was simple: Go sub-18:00. However, it was not to be. On the bright side, I ran my 4th fastest 5k ever despite running in shoes filled with rainwater. Anyway, my plan had been something like this:

5:50, 5:43, 5:43, 5:00

This was not gonna be easy. My PR set in April, was 10 seconds slower than than my goal for this race. However, I figured why not set my sights high and see what happens?

Pre-Race:
I woke up at 4:30 am for a two mile shakeout run around Welles Park. When I returned home, I had my standard pre-race fare: a cup of coffee, and a bagel with peanut butter. I checked the forecast and it looked like rain was supposed to hit the area right around 8:00 am, which also happened to be the time the race started. Oh yeah, thunderstorms were also "likely" around that time - so things were not looking good. In any case, my dad, who was also running the race and I jumped into the car and we headed out. We got to the race parking lot in about 35 minutes.

Waiting for the race (and rain) to start

We picked up our bibs and race packets, then sat in the car for a 30 minutes and watched dark clouds roll in. About 10 minutes before the race was scheduled to start, the skies opened up and it began pouring rain. We debated whether to wear disposable ponchos over to the start line, but decided not to, since we were going to get wet regardless once we took them off once the race started. I did put my hat on to keep some of the rain out of my eyes, which I think was a good call. When I got in the corral, the rain was still coming down and suddenly there was a flash of lightning then a loud boom of thunder. I was wondering if the race emcee was going to announce that the race was cancelled. Instead, he introduced a former Chicago Bear (Desmond Clark?) and then the Roselle "Rose Queen" who was wearing a sash. She promptly pressed down on the button of an air horn and we were off!

Start of the Race (see Desmond Clark on the RHS) (src)

The Race:
Mile 1:  It was raining so hard that there were already big puddles on the side of the road. There was a group of about 20 soaked spectators holding signs and cheering wildly, which shows a lot of dedication! Anyway, after about a half a mile, my clothes, my hat and my shoes were completely waterlogged. I also had to do quite a bit of weaving around smaller kids who had gone out way too fast. On top of all of this, we were running headlong into strong storm winds. Just before the "Mile 1" marker, I glanced at my watch and realized I has slipped ten seconds behind my goal pace. 5:55/mile.

Mile 2: Yes, I was only ten seconds off of my pace, but that was a huge ten seconds to make up - I was giving it my all and weighed three pounds heavier since I was soaking wet. I realized that a sub-18:00 was not in the cards but was hoping to get a shot at my PR at the very least. We made our way through a typical 1970s suburban neighborhood. One of the runners next to me plashed in a puddle and yelled "puddles"! At the "Mile 2" marker I saw that I was 20 seconds off of my goal pace. 5:55/mile.

Mile 3: I felt like my legs could not turnover any faster, so I knew that a PR for all intents and purposes, had slipped away. Since the race was nearly over, I told myself to use any energy that was left "in the tank" to get in a fast mile. In the pouring rain, I began "pour" it on with all I had left. My legs did not feel like they were moving faster, yet I was passing other runners. I guess that even a small increase in speed over the last mile is enough to pick off runners that are slightly fading. Crossing the "Mile 3" marker, I finally got close to my goal pace (5:45)! 5:46/mile.

Mile 3.15: There was a sharp, speed killing turn and then a 50 yard dash to the finish line. I used a last burst of speed to pick off two more runners right at the end.  5:05/mile.

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 18:20

Official Pace: 5:55/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:50/mile

Place Overall: 44th out of 790 

Place Age Group: 5th out of 38 

Standing in the post-race rain

Analysis:
I could complain about the conditions, and maybe I could have run a handful of seconds faster if it wasn't raining, but I won't. Conditions are never perfect for any race, and one day when I have enough sub-18 speed in my legs, I will go sub-18. One thing I would do differently would be to force myself to run a faster first mile. If I get too far off of goal pace in a 5k, it makes it nearly impossible to make up the time, since it's such a short race. For my next 5k, I'm going to try to make sure and hit goal pace the first mile and try to somehow hold on for the rest of the race. Maybe I'm leaving too much in reserve until the end of the race?

Post Race:

I walked back along the course and found a relatively dry spot under a large tree and waited for my dad to run by. Then I ran the last 300 yards of the race with him. The day before he had run a 5k in Wheaton and finished 1st in his age group and on this day he got 3rd! Nice. We got to the car, changed shirts, socks and shoes, put towels on the car seats and headed home to dry off!

Next Up:
Two days of easy miles, then The Grim Mile in four days!

Yay for 5ks

I registered for the Roselle Run for the Roses 5k which takes place this Sunday. The last time I ran a 5k, I PR'd. My weekly mileage since then has been less than stellar, but my track workouts have been faster than ever. So it remains to be seen if my newfound leg speed can compensate for lungs which might not be able to hold pace for 3.1 miles. One thing I've noticed with my decreasing mileage and increasing track work is that I'm gaining weight. I want to believe that my weight gain is due to new fast twitch leg muscles which were dormant during my marathon training. In reality it is probably just regular weight gain due to excessive cake and ice cream!

Anyway, it's time to think about race strategy. If I examine how my PR race at the Ravenswood Run went a month ago, my quarter mile cumulative paces looked like this:

I finished the race averaging 5:47/mile, which equaled an 18:10 finishing time. Depending on how well I run the tangents, I will have to run an average pace of 5:45/mile to get close to breaking 18:00. So, I'm hoping my race on Sunday looks something like this:

So, this time I'll try a faster start and then attempt to "lock in" my goal pace. After that I just need to hold on for dear life until I cross the finish line. I will need a slight kick over the final 3.15 to help push me across the finish line under 18:00, so I will need a little reserves for the final stretch. All of this of course, depends on the weather/wind and how I am feeling on race day. Time to rest up and get my legs ready to run like champions!

Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini Marathon 2015 Race Recap

This was my seventh time running the Indianapolis Mini Marathon. It's the largest half marathon in the country and to say the town of Indianapolis loves this race is a huge understatement. The race is actually televised live by a local tv station for four hours on race day. They had tv reporters broadcasting at the packet pickup and there were also three, yes three news helicopters hovering overhead on race day morning! 

Goal(s):

Based on my PR Ravenswood Run 5k finishing time from last week, the McMillan calculator put my fitness at just above a 1 hour 24 minutes for a half marathon. So a 1:23:52 PR was not too unrealistic.

Using Excel, a printer and some packing tape, I made a "PR" pace wristband. The mile splits on the wristband accounted for a slow start and then a slow progression to a fast finish. I knew I needed to relax the first few miles because my best half marathons have been where I held back early on, then let it fly over the last few miles.

The pace wristband for my PR goal

In Minis past, I would run about 13.25 miles for the race, so I would need to get close to a 6:19 average mile pace to go sub-1:23:53. I had a second set of numbers in mind (let's call it my plan "B") that would allow me to at least break 1:26, which would be a second best half time as well as automatically qualify me for the 2016 New York City Marathon by over two minutes.

Pre-Race:

Indianapolis is less than a three hour drive from Chicago, but it is in the Eastern time zone, which is an hour ahead of Chicago time. So, waking up at the hotel at 5:30 ET am to get ready for the race meant that my body thought it was 4:30 am. I downed a cup of coffee, along with a peanut butter bagel. I packed my race bag and drove from the hotel to the race. I found a $5 spot about four blocks from the start line. I used the ample facilities, and checked my bag. I did about 3 minutes of strides and realized my legs felt pretty quick.

I made my way to corral "A" at 7:30, then had to wait about 18 minutes for the race to start. I was pretty much near the front of the race, maybe only six rows back. The National Anthem was sung, the wheelchairs started, and finally we were off to the roar of the engines (over the loudspeakers)!

Time once again to play: "WHERE'S PETE B?"

Picture of me crossing the line at the start of the race.
(Hint: I'm one of the guys holding up his arms near the middle with a dark hat).

The Race:

Miles 1 through 3:  Since I was in corral A, most everyone around me sped quickly out of the gates (see above picture). As I mentioned, I wanted to start slowly, then gradually increase my pace. However, after a quarter mile looked at my watch and saw that I was running at about a 6:00/mile pace. As much as I tried to slow down, I could not get my average pace back to around 7:00/mile. I finished the first mile way too fast at 6:39/mile. I was not too happy, but the damage was done, so I just tried to stay positive and fresh through these early miles. 6:41/mile

Miles 4 through 6: These are some laid back miles through industrial areas. I was focusing on my wrist band goal times, and tried to tell myself to relax a little because I had "banked" time in the initial miles. I knew I would have to speed up later once I got on to the race track! 6:25/mile

Miles 7 through 9: We entered the Indianapolis Motor Speedway by running down then up a steep ramp. This is the coolest part of the course - needless to say. I was realizing at the time that the super fast finishing paces that I had planned for the last half of the race were not going to happen, so I reverted to my "Plan B" and slowed down a little. Some people kissed the "Yard of Bricks" as they made their way toward Turn One. After we left the race track, I started to feel like I was fading and that I might have to slow way down or risk crashing and burning before the finish line. 6:25/mile

Running over the "Yard of Bricks" on the
 Indianapolis Motor Speedway race track

Miles 10 through 12: This part is just a long, straight shot back into the city. I focused on form and just hanging on to my pace for as long as I could. I think all of the tough conditioning over the winter helped me hold my pace, although at the time I was sure at any moment my race goals would slip away. The sun was high in the sky and it was gradually getting warm outside - so in order to stay cool - I ran under sprinklers and drank lots of water. 6:28/mile

Miles 13 and 13.25 There was a long up-hill over a bridge, then a nice long downhill to flat ground which starts the mile long sprint to the finish. I was really starting to hurt (and thought I might get sick). It felt like I was slowing down considerably, but no one was passing me. In fact I was passing passing other runners. Over the loudspeakers they played Jim McKay announcing the end of a Indy 500 race from circa 1969: "He's going around the last turn and Andretti will win the 500 mile race!" With a last burst of energy, I staged a small kick and crossed the finish line! 6:26/mile

Painfully trying to kick at the finish

I stopped my Garmin after I crossed the finish line. A few seconds later, a man handed me a "500 Club" medal for being one of the top 500 finishers. Very cool!

Results:

Official Time: 1:25:52  (NYC marathon qualifying time)

Official Pace: 6:33/mile

Garmin Pace: 6:29/mile

Place Age Group: 8 out of 1,231

Place Overall: 185 out of 22,431

Analysis: Plan "B" accomplished, and I ran my second fastest half marathon ever. I even managed to run a negative split (which is hard to believe since I struggled near the end). I did not nail my "A" plan (i.e. I was 2 minutes from my PR), and my first mile was way too fast, per the plan. However, maybe this is the best I could have done anyway given my fitness and the weather conditions. I'm still trying to figure out how I was even able to hold a "second best pace" over the last six miles. It was probably due to the many, many miles I've run over the past year. 

Post Race: 

I walked down the finishers' chute and collected my second "regular" medal (i.e. the one everyone gets for finishing). I grabbed some snacks and got a couple of photos:

Two medals!

Me and an Indy Car

The Future: Post-race, my legs feel like they have rebounded nicely, however this week I may not run at all or just do a handful of miles. I have been running non-stop all winter and probably need a break before I shift my focus to Chicago Marathon training. It would be nice to have another shot at a half marathon PR or even to try and run a sub-18 5k, but I will have to weigh if it is worth it, considering my over-arching running goal is to run a quality PR marathon.

Next Up: A short running break, then who knows? Next scheduled race is the Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon in July.

2015 Ravenswood Run 5k Race Recap

My 5k PR was getting dusty. In fact it was due to turn five years old this morning, since I last PR'd at the Ravenswood Run in 2010 (18:15). As I woke up this morning to prepare for this year's version of the race, I had made a deal with myself - if my first mile was sub-6:00/mile then I would go for a PR. If I was slower than that, I would still run fast, but not kill myself, since I would have had to magically change into Usain Bolt to hit some ultra fast paces over the last two miles to get an 18:14. Because I wouldn't run the tangents perfectly, I also had to factor in the plan that the eleven turns on the course would add at least an extra 10 seconds to my time. So, my plan was to run the mile splits something like this:

 5:55, 5:45, 5:40, 5:40

The numbers looked daunting, but I decided to just relax in the initial stages, then make my "break for it" over the final 2.15.

Pre-Race:
I woke up at 6am for a two and a half mile shakeout run around Welles Park.  When I returned home, I had my standard pre-race fare: a cup of coffee, and a bagel with peanut butter. I packed my backpack, slung it over my shoulders and ran a little over a mile to the start area.

Dreaming of the finish line before the race!

I checked my bag and jumped into the corral where I spotted Eric. We chatted a bit about our PR goals, then I ran a couple of pickups to loosen my legs. Upon returning to the corral, I spotted John and Annabelle. The national anthem happened and we were off!

Me (in orange) at the 2011 Ravenswood Run (just to show what the start looks like)

The Race:
Mile 1:  Despite starting at least seven rows back, I was immediately passed by about 50 runners. I could hardly imagine that the 100+ runners that were in front of me (at that point) could hold the 5:30/mile pace we all shot out of the gate at. Once I realized how fast we were going, I slowed down to a 6:00/mile pace. That speed seemed comfortable at the time, so I stayed there. About a half a mile in, I saw Lynton and his dog who cheered me on. Last year, they were cheering next to Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. Unfortunately, Mr. Mayor did not make an appearance. Determined to get below 6:00/mile, I sped up slightly before I hit the Mile 1 marker. 5:52/mile.

Mile 2: Since I successfully hit the first mile within goal pace, my PR attempt was officially on! We made our way through the lovely Ravenswood/North Center neighborhood. Suddenly, I found myself just a few steps behind a fast runner in my age group, who finished first last year, so I figured if I simply stayed behind him a few steps, I would have a good shot at age group award. 5:49/mile.

Mile 3: This is the "showcase" mile of the race, because the course winds through the ultra-quaint Lincoln Square shopping area right in front of the Chicago Brauhaus and Gene's Sausage Shop. My lungs were starting to red line, so I dialed back just slightly as we headed into the wind on Lawrence. I heard some running coaches yelling at their runners to keep their heads up and pump their arms, so I tried to focus on that and it actually helped to divert my attention from the suffering that was creeping in. The fast runner that I had been following took off ahead of me, but I was still in contact with him. 5:46/mile.

Tera Moody at the 2013 Ravenswood 5k (in front of the
 Chicago Brauhaus)

Mile 3.15: My lungs and legs were completely red-lining, but a quick glance at the finish line clock told me that I was a few seconds ahead of PR pace - so that was all the motivation I needed to keep hauling booty and run super-duper fast!  4:51/mile.

Stats:

Official Finish Time: 18:10

Official Pace: 5:51/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:46/mile

Place Overall: 59th out of 3,176

Place Age Group: 3rd out of 162

Analysis:
PR Baby!! It was by five seconds, and I can throw my five-year-old PR in the dustbin! My splits were pretty close to what my "goal" scenario was. I ran a negative split, but still pretty even like a 5k should be run. By not cutting the tangents properly - I ran 3.15 miles - I added about 15 seconds to my time. If I had only run 3.10 miles I would have gone sub-18. So I simply need to find a straighter course to check the sub-18 goal off of my bucket list.

I have a half marathon in 6 days, so to determine my half pace, I plugged an 18:10 5k into the McMillan Calculator. This yields just about a 1:24:00 half marathon time, which is only a few seconds slower than my half PR. So if I run a smart race next weekend, and I get some favorable weather, I could flirt with a PR there as well.

Post Race:
I grabbed some water and walked back through the finishing chute in order to watch other bloggers/friends to finish, I high-fived Annabelle after she crossed. She had a super speedy time, which is awesome since she had run the Boston Marathon seven days ago! I then spotted Eric, who also had a PR! We walked together to bag check and then we met up with John, Annabelle and Lynton.

Eric, John, me and Annabelle post race (src)

We all walked over to breakfast at Glenn's Diner. Eric looked up my race results at Glenn's and told me I had finished third. So, after ordering my blueberry waffle (and sausage, of course), I ran back to the awards ceremony, just in time to get my medal and my first ever podium trip for a CARA race!

Top 3 Age Group!

Posing with Ravenswood medal at Glenn's

I made it back in plenty of time before my breakfast arrived. After breakfast we all went over to Fountainhead for beer and Annabelle made a toast to Eric and my PRs!

Cheers! (src)

What a great morning. Here's to not having to wait another five years for my next PR!

Next Up:
The Indy Mini Marathon in six days!

PR Dreams and Chilling Out

With running, I may or may not have a habit of over-analyzing things. One downside to all of this analysis is that sometimes it assigns a small, scary, definite number to the pace that I need to hit in order to achieve a PR. When my current training pace is around an 8:00/mile it seems rather daunting to have to run 3.1 miles in a row at exactly 5:47/mile on Sunday. So, over the last few days this analysis has resulted in a bit of pre-race anxiety. I was worried how uncomfortable running those paces will make me.

On a related note, Kim had a post today which included a quote from Desi Linden about getting "comfortable with being uncomfortable". While I agree with Des that at certain (mostly later) stages of races you should be comfortable with being uncomfortable - for most of my PRs - I was not uncomfortable at all. As I commented on Kim's post, I finished my half marathon PR with the feeling like I could have run another 5 miles. I've heard it before more than a few times, but it bears repeating that I need to let the race come to me. That's how I run the best - by not forcing things. If I try to force things the race will be "uncomfortably uncomfortable" and the results will reflect that - and probably not in a positive way.

So, I don't know if I will PR this Sunday (or next Saturday), but I do know is I need to chill out and wear a smile! That's the only way for something magical to happen.

Finishing the 2014 RnR Half  (credit)

As the Course Turns: The Ravenswood Run 5k 2010 vs 2015

I'm running the Ravenswood 5k on Sunday. Since I'm in fairly decent shape right now, I have been toying with the idea of gunning for a PR. My PR is 18:15, which coincidentally was set at the Ravenswood Run way back in 2010.

Unfortunately, the course that I set my PR on is no more and the new Ravenswood Run course has four extra turns. This might seem insignificant, but looking at my Garmin mileage from 2010 to that of 2014, those four turns added an extra 0.03 miles. At a 5:51 pace:

 0.03 miles = 10 extra seconds

So even if I run exactly as fast as I did in 2010, those four turns will cost me 10 seconds. In fact, I need to run a 5:47 pace just to tie my PR!

2010 Ravenswood Run Course = 7 turns

2014 and 2015 Ravenswood Run Course = 11 turns

Currently, I feel like I could be in 18:20 to 18:30 shape, so I need every advantage I can get to have any shot at a PR. At this stage a 5k PR of  two seconds is big. Just to show how much seconds count, my three best 5ks are separated by only 8 seconds. 18:23, 18:17, 18:15.

I really like this race as it goes through the quaint Lincoln Square area and it is only a few blocks from my house. However, if they keep making the course more difficult, I will have to look at this race as simply a tune-up for another, faster (i.e. less turn happy) 5k this summer. Who knows, I might be in better shape than I realize and pull out a magical run. However, I'll need to conjure up a lot more magic in my legs and lungs on Sunday than ever before.

In orange shirt at the 2011 Ravenswood Run

Exactly how many runners did I pass?

In my last post where I recapped my 2015 Shamrock Shuffle race, I mentioned that I passed "tons of runners" over the last couple of miles of the race. I thought it would be cool if I could actually quantify how many runners I passed (and how many passed me) from the 5k mark to the finish line (8k mark) of the race. Luckily, the individual results show each runner's time at the 5k mark and their finish time. So, after painstakingly looking at over 300 runners who finished around my time, I have the results of my analysis:

Shamrock Shuffle 2015:
Number of runners I passed after 5k mark:			106
Number of runners who passed me after the 5k mark:			0
My place at 5k mark:			516
My place at the finish line (8k):			410

So my "tons of runners" translates to 106 runners passed in just over over 11 minutes - about 10 per minute. I went way down the list to see if anyone had passed me over the same stretch and could not find a single person. This info shows just how big a negative split I ran. However in the long run, the only time that matters is the one that displayed as I crossed the finish line. Lots of other runners who went out a lot faster than me then slowed down more than me, still beat me. Bottom line: While it's fun to pass other runners, you can still get beat by lots of faster "positive splitters" and "even pacers".

Anyway, I also saw that someone on reddit had downloaded the stats of every finisher of the 2014 Chicago Marathon into an Excel spreadsheet. So, using that data, I did the same analysis as above, except this time I calculated the number of runners I passed and was passed by after the halfway (13.1 mile) mark:

Chicago Marathon 2014:
Number of runners I passed after 13.1 mile mark:			481
Number of runners who passed me after the 13.1 mark:			117
My place at 13.1 mile mark:			2,127
My place at the finish line (26.2 miles):			1,763

The interesting thing with this is that I was down on myself for my "big" positive split during the Chicago Marathon, but I needn't really be. Of the runners who passed the half way mark at 1:32:52 or faster, I finished with a faster time than 481 of them. Only 117 runners who ran slower than me for the first half, had a faster time than me. That means that my positive split actually was decent when compared to how big other runners' positive splits were. I shouldn't get down on myself too much - I ran faster than most for the second half! Anyway, next year I hope to be one of those 117, which means starting even slower and finishing even faster!

2014 Chicago Marathon Finish

Next up: Ravenswood Run in 11 days!