I was really worried coming into this race as my long runs recently have been 9-10 miles. I figured I was good for 10 miles at 6 min/pace but I didn't want a big blow up at that point. I was hoping for 1:25 and maybe stealing 3rd place but there are plenty of years that would put me 5-7th. The weather has gotten really humid and hot but race day was overcast light wind and rain mid 60's with 90% humidity which was as good as it was going to be. I did a half mile warm up figured I would start slow and warm up during the race.
Started out really relaxed with no stroller it felt easy recognised Gillette and sat a ways back. A guy fresh out of competing collegiately took off I had talked to him before the race and he was shooting for 65 so winning went out the window but no Kenyans were at the start so I got my hopes up. First mile 5.54 a little fast but felt good. Easily pulled up to Gillette and another guy doing his first full he was shooting for 2:45 and I figured I would hang with them while it was comfortable. 2nd mile at 5:39 but a bit down hill I about hit the brakes but stuck with it. It was nice running in a group and it was no man's land behind us. Some 2:50 marathon girl was trailing us but not within striking distance. 3rd mile in 6:04 through rolling hills which is what most of NW Missouri is. That put my 5k at around 18:10 which is what I've run my other two in. At that point the other guy started dropping the pace and we hit 5:44 and 5:50 or 4 and 5. He got a slight lead and I could tell Gillette was a bit worried about him. He wasn't taking any water though. miles 6 and 7 were 6:08 and 5:59 pretty good pacing putting my 10k around 36:30. At that point I even had thoughts of PRing which would be crushed by a 1 1/4 mile uphill grade. We hit 8 in 6:31 Gillette choked down a goo and had to use the port-a-pot so I was alone. It was too late to do anything but try and maintain form and pace. 9 was a 6:30 then 5:47 when I got the down hill back for a 1:00.20 10 mile total. The course then went winding through suburbia and was slightly uphill and I realized I had 2nd locked up and unless the first guy DNF'ed that was the limit. I struggled through a 7:05 and a 6:31 for 11 and 12 but then hit downhill again and got a good surge the last 1/2 mile and finished with a 5:35 may have been a little short with 32 seconds for the .1. Felt really good to go sub 1:20 didn't honestly think it was possible with my training. I feel like I paced it pretty well. Made enough cash to cover the entry, my watch I got for the race, plus a pair of shoes. Got to feed the hobby somehow :) I'm feeling really motivated to build up my milage for a fall half I think I could keep about that pace for a full if I can get to 50-60 miles a week. Easy said than done.
I drove the course after I finished to see the marathoners the newbie still had 3 min on Gilette at mile 18 haven't seen results yet hope he hung on!
He did hang on beat Gillette with a2:47 vs 2:51 the girl finished in 2:54.
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