Why I wish the Chicago Marathon was next week (and why I'm glad it's not)

I'm entering the last two and a half weeks of "quality" training for my PR attempt at the 2015 Chicago Marathon in October. I'm feeling like I wish the race was next week instead of in four weeks. Here are some of the reasons why:

1) I'm injury-free: Who knows what could happen injury-wise in the next four weeks? I rolled my ankle 10 days before Boston 2012, and had to take a deferral until 2013. A marathon is difficult enough when I don't have any injuries. The more time I spend training the greater the chance that I will overdo it (or do something stupid) and end up in injury jail.

2) Any improvements in fitness from now on will be small: I feel as though I'm as fit as I'm going to be for this marathon. I can knock out my quality (i.e. tempo, strength, long) runs now without a problem. I've been on my training plan for the last 13 weeks, and since February of last year I've probably averaged 40+ miles per week. So, how much will two and a half weeks of quality runs really improve my fitness?

3) I am close to my ideal racing weight: I am reading "Racing Weight" by Matt Fitzgerald and am following his running nutrition methodology (for the most part). I've been eating lots of lean protein and salads, and I have brought my weight down 12 pounds since February. How much longer can I keep up with this healthy eating?!  I'm looking forward to a rich German meal washed down with a giant German beer and a big slice of apple strudel on October 11th.

Near mile 23 of the Chicago Marathon 2014 (src)

On the other hand, here are some reasons I'm glad the marathon is not next week:

1) I need a little more quality: They say the most important quality work is done in the weeks just before the marathon. I have seven more quality runs and they are set to be the hardest so far. If those seven runs help me to build just a little more strength in my legs, maybe the last 6.2 miles won't be as grueling during the race. If these runs help to improve my finishing time by two minutes that may be the difference between a 3:06 (not a PR) and a 3:05 (PR).

2) Maybe I could still lose a couple of pounds: They say that an extra pound equals one extra minute of marathon finishing time. So if I can somehow shed two or three more pounds in the next two weeks, I would (theoretically) be about two or three more minutes faster during the marathon without expending any extra effort. Plus, I wouldn't have to lug that extra weight around for 26.5 miles for which my joints will surely be thankful. I'm only giving myself two more weeks to shed any weight, because during my taper, I will need to start fat loading and it's not good to focus on weight during a taper.

3) It should be cooler! I hope I'm not jinxing anything here, but October is usually cooler than September, so for each degree it's cooler - I'll be just that much faster.

Me and Declan with beer post-race 2013.

Anyway, maybe my "hurry up and get here" mentality is due to the fact that I'm looking forward getting some time back on my calendar, when I don't have the whole week jammed with (slower) marathon-specific training runs. Maybe I'm also looking forward to racing shorter (i.e. faster) distances. In any case, I can't change the date of the marathon, and it's probably a good thing I can't. I'm pretty confident of my abilities now, but hope to be more so come October.

Chicago Marathon Training: At the Halfway Point

Okay, I'm not sure if I'm actually at the halfway point in my Chicago Marathon training, but I thought at least check-in and let you know where I'm at training-wise. For this year's training cycle (as opposed to last year's), I'm doing two quality runs per week in addition to a Sunday long run.

• Tuesdays are for marathon paced runs (7:00/mile) from 7 to 10 miles 
• Thursdays are for three mile "speed" sessions (6:10/mile) at the track. Starting next week, I change these to six mile "strength" sessions (6:50/mile).
• Monday, Wednesday, Fridays are for recovery runs
• Saturdays are for rest!

This schedule has my legs feeling much more fatigued than they were at this point last year when I was pretty much focusing solely on getting in high mileage weeks. Last year, I was running my "long, slow, distance" runs in the 7:15 to 7:30/mile range. This year, my legs are so shredded, I could not run that fast if I tried. So they are more in the 8:00 to 8:15/mile range. If I truly want to follow the 80/20 rule, I should be running LSD runs with an emphasis on the "slow" part and might be still running them too fast.

Anyway, I'm probably not going to race again until October 11, unless I hear that a critical mass of WRCE members are running the Oktoberfest 5k next month. Racing short races hard at this point in the training cycle only necessitates more recovery time, and I'd rather just keep marathon training to see if I can snag a coveted marathon PR when I hit the finish on Columbus Drive.

So, I guess we'll see in October if my marathon time improves by doing less mileage but with more quality workouts, or if it's better to simply run lots of miles and leave quality workouts for shorter races.

On Navy Pier During a Sunday 16 miler 

Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon Pre Race Thoughts: Heat and Race Strategy

Recovering from the heat under
 the post race water mist machine (RnR '13)

So, the big story for the 2015 Chicago Rock n' Roll Half Marathon is (as usual) the hot temperatures/humidity in the forecast. I could sit here and moan about how I don't like running in the heat and how I especially suffer when it's muggy out, but I won't. The race on Sunday is a tune-up race. My main goal is to PR the Chicago Marathon and as such, I need to learn how to deal with all sorts of conditions - including those that I'm faced with on Sunday. Come October if the Chicago Marathon is a hot one, and I have been avoiding racing in the heat all summer, I won't be "battle tested" and will probably struggle to figure out how to deal with the heat during the marathon itself (not a good thing).

RnR '13 Finish

As far as race strategy goes, McMillan puts my current fitness right at a 6:30/mile pace for 13.1 miles. That will obviously need to be adjusted by 10 or 20 seconds per mile upwards based on the heat index. The most important thing is for me to run a nice, consistent pace throughout the RnR in order to simulate running a consistent pace similarly to what I will need to do for the marathon. I will probably start the race at 6:50 for the first 6 miles then try to drop down to 6:40 for the rest of the way in. However, if I'm not feeling it at the halfway point, I will try and just stick with 6:50 and be happy. Since the Rock 'n Roll course runs down many of the same streets as the marathon and even starts and finishes on Columbus Drive in Grant Park, I won't have much better opportunities to simulate the marathon.  A nice consistent pace will be difficult to maintain as the temperatures rise during the race, but again, maintaining a nice consistent pace here may teach me a thing or two how to do it in October when things get tough.

Hamming it up with Xaarlin and Sara
(RnR '13)

To make the race slightly more comfortable, I may wear a bandana and look into purchasing arm coolers at the race expo to see how much they help to keep me from overheating. I am going to wear a hat which will come in handy when they hand out cold sponges, so I can stick the sponges under my hat and get a cold water drip for a mile or two.  Other than that, I will try to hydrate and run in the shade, wherever possible. One more thing, if it is extremely, dangerously hot, I will definitely drop out. No use causing heat stroke and having to take days off of marathon training to adequately recover. I may be acclimated to 75 degrees at the moment, but am not acclimated to anything north of 80 degrees.

Who else is running on Sunday? What are your strategies to stay cool during the race?

4 on the 4th 2015 Race Recap

For me, races on the Fourth of July are about one thing - having fun. In the past few years I've run races featuring an uphill final mile 5k and a 5 miler where I ran up and down a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. Neither course was laid out for a PR - but for these "holiday" races it's more about interesting courses and/or unconventional distances which are a nice holiday from standard flat and fast ones.

This year I would get both an interesting (re: hilly) course as well as an unconventional distance (4 miler) by running the 4 on the 4th in Elmhurst. For the first in a long time, I found myself in the city for the Fourth of July, so I wanted to find a holiday race nearby. Since the 4 on the 4th is a CARA race and I could score some points for the BRC, I decided to make the trek to Elmhurst to set an instant four mile PR.

Entering my latest 5k time into the McMillan Calculator it said I should be able to run 4 miles in 23:50 for a 5:57/mile pace. So, factoring in the tangents, I would need to run a 5:54/mile pace at the slowest. So my planned splits looked something like this:

5:58, 5:56, 5:55, 5:52

Yes, another daunting goal, but I really did want a sub 24:00 since it's what I can do and well, it is a nice round number. It would also mean I would have to run a sub six minute pace for four straight miles (which would be a first). As if that weren't enough, pushing myself to run fast and actually racing all-out is pretty much the most fun thing on the planet. And wait, there's more! - The post-race endorphins that last for the entire day are fantastic as well!

Pre-Race:
I woke up at 4:45 am for a two mile shakeout run around Welles Park. People were still lighting fireworks off at the time in the park. So that got my heart racing early as I feared if bottle rockets would fly in my direction. When I returned home, I had my standard pre-race fare: a cup of coffee, and a bagel with peanut butter. I jumped in the car at 5:55 am and with literally zero traffic from Chicago to Elmhurst, I pulled into the race parking lot an hour before race start at 6:20.

Pre-race on the beautiful Elmhurst College campus

I picked up my bib and packet, ran another mile or so, then bumped into Zenaida and chatted with her. Then I spotted Erin and Jason and we chatted. Erin told/warned me of the three hills on the course - the first and second hills were down and back up again through a railroad underpass, and the third was over the last quarter mile with an incline twice as steep as the dreaded Mt. Roosevelt finish of the Chicago Marathon. 

Soon enough, the national anthem played. After that I made my way into the start corral where I spotted Zoe, who was running as part of the Oak Park Runners. Suddenly, someone yelled "Go!" and we were off!

The Start

The Race:
Mile 1:  The first quarter mile was downhill so we were all flying. A quick glance at my Garmin showed a 5:20/mile pace. I knew things would slow down once the course leveled off. Once things got back to normal I glanced down and realized the 10-pack of runners I was in the middle of had slowed down too much and we were chugging along at a 6:20/mile pace. A couple of guys from our "group" peeled off and shot ahead. I decided to follow them instead of hanging back.  5:59/mile.

Video grab from mile 1 (src)

Mile 2: The dreaded railroad underpass arrived and we ran down then back up it. My pace suffered a little, but it makes the course interesting right? At the two mile mark there was a hairpin 180° turn. 5:58/mile.

Mile 3: Running briefly through downtown Elmhurst, Erin spotted me as she ran the other direction and yelled "Go Pete!". I waved at her then descended and ascended the underpass for the last time. I started picking off runners as I was feeling good and ready for the final mile kick. 5:57/mile.

Mile 4: The good feeling I had was gradually turning to pain as my lungs were hitting their max capacity. Soon enough, we turned a corner and the dreaded quarter mile uphill to the finish was in front of me. I knew I had run some decent splits up until that point, but I realized I would need a tremendous surge to ensure I got my sub 24:00. I let my legs fly and and with the incline pushing back at me - made my way sprinting up the hill. I seemed to be faring well as I was passing several runners. The course became a blur of running store singlets and the finish line ahead.  I could see the finish line clock in the distance and it was counting up and at 23:30. 5:45/mile.

Mile 4.07: I poured everything I had into the last stretch. Cresting the hill there was a last 100 yard flat out sprint to the finish line which I crossed right as the race clock hit 24:00. 4:43/mile.


Stats:

Official Finish Time: 23:57

Official Pace: 5:59/mile

Garmin Pace: 5:53/mile

Place Overall: 80th out of 925

Place Age Group: 5th out of 46

Analysis:
Since I didn't cross the start line until three seconds after the race started, my chip time was three seconds faster than the gun time. So I broke 24:00 with all four miles under 6:00/mile pace. Mission accomplished! Also it was an instant PR since it was my first four miler.  As far as my running goes, I like that my first splits were pretty even. My desperate charge up the hill as I watched the clock tick to 24:00 as I finished will be a lasting memory from this race. Thanks to Erin for the pre-race warning so I could mentally prepare for the hill!

Hanging out post race with Erin and my free snow cone

Post Race:

I laid out on the grass after the race for a couple of minutes to catch my breath. Then I staggered over to the course again to watch Zoe, Erin and Zenaida finish. I chatted with Erin and Jason and we got free snow cones from a vendor. Then it was back to the city for the Fourth of July, even though the real fireworks for me had already happened in the suburbs. Nothing beats a fast race!

Next Up:
Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon in two weeks!

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.