After a few months off this winter to recharge and a few good blocks of training, I was ready for my 1st race. I was really excited to get on dirt and test my legs. I didn't have a time goal. My race plan was simple, don't go out too hard, ease up a little on the hills, and put it into another gear for the last 5k. Here is what I emailed to Eric.
I had a really good race. I learned how to push myself to another level
of pain. I will explain in a second.
I was 2nd in my age group and either 4th or 5th women overall. They only
have official results for 1st female overall and age group awards. I am
going off what people are telling me about overall women. I know I was
25th out of 327 men and women. A lot of men got chicked today. I forgot
to turn watch off at the end . My time from them was 2:26, 8.48 pace,
the course was longer -16.57miles. My avg HR was 172 and my max was 188-
yikes. I never looked at it after the 1st 3 miles and went by feel.
There was wind and the temp was perfect for me . Race start around 37
and finishing inflow 40¹s.
I started like you told me. I eased into zone 4 and didn¹t go higher for
at leaf the 1st 3miles. There was a nice hill and I kept it easy. Then
I stopped looking at my watch. I fueled after hard efforts. I had 3
gels. there were 3 hard long climbs and 2 fast downhills. There was a
good technical section and then some dirt roads. I knew that there were
only a few women ahead of me . After about 8 miles we were on a long
climb with switch backs and I saw a women slowly gaining on me. That was
it, my competitive side kicked in and I didn¹t want her to catch me. I
stuck with our plan and kept it easier on the uphill knowing that I could
go harder on flats and downhills. She got within a hundred yards of me
with 5 miles to go. I had one more uphill and I hoped that she wouldn¹t
catch me on it because there was know way I could hammer it and then kick
it into another gear. She continued to gain on me but I kept pushing.
This is were the new level of pain kicked it. This is a time when I
would have probably eased up a little. She finally caught me with about
200 yards to go. She did what I did at the 10k. I was spent and so was
she, she said that I had been pushing her for the last 8 miles. We
crossed the line together. I literally thought I was going to pass out.
Anyway, body is tired but I was able to eat and drink pretty soon after
so that was good.
Thanks as always. Your training is key to my success.
Comments
Thanks for inspiring me to keep going! Well done!
WOW, fantastic, amazing, thank you Margot for inspiring and sharing, again I want to go out for another run after reading your race report.
Thanks for sharing and can't wait to look at your race file.
By the way however, we need to change that word of "pain" to success.