The weather was a bit cold but not too bad for running. The wind was off the lake and also a bit from the north, so the "out" portion of each of the three laps felt a bit tougher than the "back" portion.
I ran a very conservative 50K in the spring, and I ended up running the last mile faster than any other. This time, I decided to run a more aggressive pace and try to keep it steady for all 31+ miles. For the first lap, I was out in 46:25 and back in 46:26 for a total of 1:32:51 (8:58 pace). This was well ahead of the spring's easy-paced first lap, which was about 1:37 (9:22 pace).
I didn't need to worry too much about hydration and fueling for the first lap because of the chilly temperatures. I had bags with Accelerade, sport beans, and GU energy gel in two places. I kept one at the start/finish drop bag area, and my family, who were about 3.7 miles to the north, kept the second. The strategy worked very well, as there was always food and drink nearby to keep me energized.
I took my first gel shortly after completing the first lap, and finished off a pack of sport beans about a half hour later. I was showing signs of fatigue, but cheers and support from Jenelle and my parents kept me going. I reached the turnaround point in 46:39 (9:00 pace). I had more gel and jelly beans on the return trip, along with plenty of Accelerade. I tried to conserve a bit of energy for the final lap, so the return took 49:05 (9:29 pace). I was still on track to beat my spring time, so I ventured north to complete the course one more time and hopefully set a PR.
I wouldn't say that I crashed or bonked in the third lap, but for whatever reason, I couldn't go as fast as I had for the first 20 miles. My mile splits jumped into 9:30-10:00 range. I tried to keep on fueling and drinking. My heart rate was still okay (150s), but the early speed was no longer present. Perhaps I was getting a little dehydrated. In any case, I pressed on, completing the third "out" split in 50:55 (9:50 pace). One surprise on the out lap was seeing my mom walking back south on the trail. I waved and smiled and told her that I'd see her soon at the finish.
After making the turnaround and seeing Jenelle and Dad one last time, it was up to me to keep it together to set a PR. My marathon split was about 4:02:30. I tried to limit my walking breaks in the final four miles, logically reasoning that I could walk all I wanted after the race was over. :) As I approached the beach house, all I knew for sure is that it was going to be close. I made the final turn and crossed the line in 4:49:44 in 32nd place (results are not official yet). After a lot of work, I took about seven seconds off my PR. Heh.
Jerry finished in 4:29:36. He also had trouble in his final lap. However, we were both in good spirits as we chatted after the race.
I had the choice of a green, orange, or blue finisher's medal. I went with orange because I already had a green one from the spring, and it seemed more "fall"-ish than blue. The race shirt is a nice color purple (reminds me of Northwestern), but the script-style lettering makes it perhaps the girliest shirt in my runner's closet. Still, it was a great day, everything was well organized, and all of the volunteers were very helpful and supportive.
Recovery is going well so far. Besides the usual soreness and one blister, there's no real issues. With luck, I'll be in the perfect shape to run San Antonio in two weeks.
Race Stats and Trivia:
| Leg | Lap 1 | Lap 2 | Lap 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start to Promontory Point (1.21 miles) | 10:53 | 11:19 | 12:39 |
| Promontory Point to 39th St. Aid Station (2.48 miles) | 22:15 | 22:12 | 23:47 |
| 39th St. Aid Station to Turnaround (1.49 miles) | 13:17 | 13:08 | 14:29 |
| Entire Out Leg (5.18 miles) | 46:25 | 46:39 | 50:55 |
| Turnaround to 39th St. Aid Station (1.49 miles) | 13:15 | 13:53 | 14:24 |
| 39th St. Aid Station to Promontory Point (2.48 miles) | 22:10 | 23:39 | 24:09 |
| Promontory Point to Finish (1.21 miles) | 11:01 | 11:33 | 11:41 |
| Entire Return Leg (5.18 miles) | 46:26 | 49:05 | 50:14 |
| Total Lap (10.36 miles) | 1:32:51 | 1:35:44 | 1:41:09 |
| Overall Times | 3:08:35 | 4:49:44 |
- Average Pace: 9:19/mile
- Photos on Shutterfly
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