The weather was perfect for the Mt. Si races this year. The weather man stuck to his guns and didn't update the forecast but I figured it wasn't really going to be cold and wet considering it was 80 degrees at my house the day before. And sure enough when I arrived at the start (in the dark) I could see stars in the sky. Luckily, I put some sunscreen on my nose or I'd be looking like Rudolf today at work. It was a little sunny but not enough to make it hot and no rain until hours after I finished.
My plan was to run "fast" for the 1st 10 miles, just letting gravity do it's job (Free Speed right), then push a steady pace for the next 25 miles uphill, and finally pick up the pace for the last 15 miles down to the finish.
My plan was going well for the first 10 miles. My 2 mile average speed ranged from 6.8 to 7.2 mph, but when I turned around I didn't slowdown (I set my watch to do an "autolap" every 2 miles). From mile 10 to mile 20 I was going too fast but pretty constant at 6.7 to 7 mph. At 22 miles I dropped down to an avg. of 6.5 mph and then 6.1 at 24 miles. My two mile average when I hit the Marathon mark was 6.0 mph or a 10 minute mile. At 3:55 for 26.2 miles I knew I was in for some struggling later on. My 50k time was just under 4:50. Considering my 50k pr is 4:45 I was feeling pretty good. By the time I made it to the turn around at the "top" my 2 mile avg split had fallen to 5.4 mph which was the slowest of the day.
After the turn I tried to assess how much I had left and set my pace from there. And from there to the finish I stayed a lot more consistent than I thought I could. I did fade a little at the golf course but that's it. With just over a 1/2 mile to go I saw that I might have a shot at under 8 hours. My foot pod shows I was going a smoking 7.5 mph but it was too slow and too late. I finished in 8:01, a 30 minutes PR. I don't think I could have done any better.
I stopped or slowed to a walk 16 times, 8 for aid stations, 3-4 nature breaks and 4-5 10 second to 4 minute walk and/or stretch breaks. I had 2 gu's, 3 pieces of red-vines, 1 peanut granola bar, 2 mocha's, 8 salt pills, 3 Advil (for the feet), 1/2 oz. of perpetuem, 4 scoops of Heed, 15 oz of gu2o from a/s, 80 oz. of generic sports drink, and 30-40 oz. of water.
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10 comments:
Sounds pretty good Arthur - a 30 min PR! I don't know how you kept track of all those stats at the end. Did you carry a notepad and write it all down???
Nope no notepad ... I know what I started with and I can see what I have left over in a sticky pile (broken water bottle) in the middle of the kitchen floor. From there it's just easy math even my 5 year old could do.
Nice work at Mt Si, I was on par for a PR myself until I dropped after mile 29. But that's what I get for half-assing my own training.
See you at Redmond.
Wow a 30 minute PR!! Great job Arthur. =)
PoSSuM
30 min PR (!?!) that's outstanding.. congrats!
Well done, Arthur!
Excellent run and PR, very consistent pacing with the hills. The elusive sub 8 hour will come another day. Well done. I enjoyed your snow run blog and have been quickly lost in the snow as well.
Congrats on the pr. I am envious of that 8:01. Although that is 1 minute shy of the sub 8, being that close is really just about the same thing. And 7.5 mph at the end of a 50miler really is smok'n!
When you told me we were running uphill on that first out & back, I really thought you were lying to me ... until we turned around ... then I believed you.
I just knew that even while you were saying how much pain you were in, that you were going to take off - and you did - way to finish strong. Hmm, is it still called "chicking" if you're not a chick, but are only confused as one? Oops, did I type that outloud?
Way to go Arthur! I also had the joy of running a 50 Miler this weekend only mine had 13,000+ feet of elevation gain! I needed to find myself a lake to put those fried quads in after descending the same elevation :}
Leslie
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