Sunday’s 30K

I ran what may have been my best race ever on Sunday. It wasn’t my fastest, but it was surely my smartest. It was a 30K on a slightly warmer and sunnier than ideal day. My goal was to test my marathon pace. I’d been having trouble locking it in, like it was between gears. It was a little risky, since my long run to this point was an 18 miler (that likely was a little short, and was definitely a lot slower).

The idea was to practice the beginning of a marathon, settling into my 3:20 marathon pace (7:36), and then try to simulate the end of the marathon by pressing a bit the last few miles.

I started with a group of running pals. Splits:

1: 7:36 (dead on)
2: 7:39
3: 7:48

When we crossed the 3 mile mark, I questioned the mark placement. But in my mind I knew my group had slowed a bit. So I fell back into my rhythm and left them behind, though it was a very slow pull away. I could still here them talking for 2 miles or so.

4: 7:35
5: 7:36
6: 7:38
7: 7:41

I was starting to fade just a bit and wasn’t sure why, but I hit my first Gu here.

8: 7:43
9: 7:42
10: 7:47
11: 7:51

These last few are not as bad as the look. They included some steep climbs. I was starting to pick people off now who were but tiny dots up ahead not too long ago. More Gu here.

12: 7:39
13: 7:32
14: 7:39

Ok, 4miles to go. This was when I wanted to start to press. I was feeling remarkably good and was on a familiar part of the course.

15: 7:30
16: 7:13
17: 7:18
18: 7:23

In the last half mile or so, I passed a guy who was struggling. When the finish line came into view, I heard him coming back on me. Silly, silly man. I responded before he got within 10 feet of me and easily beat him to the… hey, that’s not our finish line, that’s for the 15K. No worry, I continued to motor the final 200 meters, dusting the dude.

18.6: 4:03

Finish time of 2:21:01 put me just under my 7:36 goal pace. I know it’s no marathon, and the worst was yet to come, but it was refreshing to run to plan and to finish so strong.