Race Oddity

Ground control to Major Tom. Take your protein pills and put your helmet on. Ground control to Major Tom. Commencing countdown engines on. Check ignition and may Gods love be with you.

Today's 30k race was an oddity, not at all what I expected. The weather was confusing. I did not know whether it was cold or rainy or what. In the end I changed at the last minute to a short sleeve top, gloves and hat. I had intended to go with the long sleeve shirt, no gloves and no hat. Good on the fly adjustment since the gloves and hat came in handy. While I finished before the drizzle became persistent, it was still hat weather.

I also expected to go out slow and finish fast. I went out slow for about a mile, sped up a notch, sped up another notch at mile 6 and ran out of gas in the last two miles. I even passed some BARCers in mile 15 and 16 who smoked me in previous races, but they passed me back as I faded. At the start I thought I'd run a 2:40. Then halfway through I thought I'd run a 2:30. So of course I ran in between with a 2:35:43, which is just fine by me.

This time is an age-graded 62.16% WAVA result (1994 factors). If I average my four HARRA series WAVA results, I come up with 61%. If I can do a 61% Houston marathon, my time will be 3:49:35! I can't see it, today was tough. I think I'll just set my goal at 1 hour faster than last year, which will be 4:03:31. That will be amazing enough. My real goal is to look better at the finish line than the invalid I was last year. The time is secondary.

I picked up water from Jen at the Striders water stop on all three loops. Thanks Jen and thanks June for pouring. By the way June, the first time around the water level was a little stingy. You know how runners are with their water. It's got to be just right or we are thrown off our game. Seriously, kudos to you and all who volunteered. It is a lot easier to run in miserable weather than to volunteer.