another really good day of running. goal was a long training run and picking up the pace the last hour or so.
started nice and mellow. running about 8-10th during the first mile. felt good from the start. 6th at the 4.5 mile aid station and about a 90"-2 min behind the leaders. just cruising and high 6 min pace felt easy so i just rolled with that.
Hit the 9 mile aid station still in 6th but was catching 4th and 5th (first woman) so i took my time at the aid to let them get away. I wasn't ready to race. ate a gel at the aid, filled my bottle, and retied my shorts. about mile 11 i passed 5th and then caught 4th (first woman). I was still cruising high 6's and not pushing. I went to go around as she was slowing down but she kept surging and running shoulder to shoulder. so i took out my headphones slowed down, and we chatted for a couple of miles... slowing down to low 7 pace. she's the chick that won WIEM and is crazy for running.
we hit the aid at the base of the eastbound raptor ridge climb at mile 13 and i just rolled while she stopped. I gave it a good effort up the climb and was feeling good (got the strava CR for the climb). 3/4 of the way up the climb i could see the leaders just reaching the top. I thought they'd be further ahead. I cruised the descent and caught 3rd at about 15 miles and then 3rd right before the turn around at 18.6 miles.
out of the aid station 1st only had 45" on me and I took my time getting to him. I got to him at mile 20 but i just sat on him, about 10 yards back from miles 20-23. I didn't want to lift my pace yet and he was setting a pace that felt easy to me. i noticed i was having to really force myself to slow down on any small climb we'd hit. decided I'd go for it at mile 23 at the base of the raptor ridge climb.
so that's what i did I made a strong move and hammered the climb getting a gap right away and it just kept going (got the strava cr for that climb too). I filled up at the mile 24.5 aid station and then kept cruising. I was still find high to mid 6 minute pace pretty easy and had the best energy I've had that late in a 50k. I had to make a quick "bathroom stop" at about 26.5. i felt much better after. I stayed on it until I crossed the bridge at mile 30 and then just cruised to the finish still feeling awesome.
so stoked with the effort and what a difference starting out mellow makes at the end of a race. good lesson for northface and going forward... and it's much more fun to be in hunting mode than running off the front.
i ran this race (same course) in 2012 in 3:47 and I was crushed the last 6-8 miles. this year I could have run another 18!
incredibly even splits.
http://app.strava.com/activities/212066586/overvie...