Running (RACE!) 1:42:00 [3] 13.0 mi (7:51 / mi) +2690ft 6:34 / mi
shoes: Hoka Challenger #2 (Grn)
Fear the Deer half marathon at Deer Creek canyon park.
raining when I woke up. met luke at the south valley trail head and we drove the the park. cleared a bit and warmed up before the race. plan was to just cruise and see how i felt. with the lack of running, no hard running or riding, and the altitude wasn't sure how i'd feel.
let the leaders go from the start including luke, J. Marshall Thomson (the dude who raced & got 2nd with rob krar at the Elk Mountains Grand Traverse, stevie kremer, and a handful of other dudes. some skinny guy in a bunch boston marathon gear went way off the front. so rad having a stacked field in a little (200 person) local race.
I was in about 20th on the first climb durning the first mile and then started working my way up. then it started to hail... and then rain. 2 miles in i caught stevie kremer and another guy. i could not get away from her on the climb she was just right there with me... and then ended up opening a gap on me!! climbing is tough up here so far. luckily i felt great on the flats and descents and was able to get away from her and the other dude.... but only had 30-60 second gap.
at the first out and back at about 6 miles in luke and thomson were leading with the boston marathon dude just behind. they had about 5 minutes on me at that point. i just kept rolling and feeling good. at the next out and back at 8.5 miles the sun was out and luke and thomson were still off the front but i was brining back the boston marathon dude and he looked like he wasn't having any fun at in the rain and mud... he probably shouldn't have worn road flats. he still had 2-3 minutes on me with 4.5 miles to go.... and he was really fast. kremer was still right there 1 min behind me!
i just kept doing what i was doing and letting it loose on the descents. i finally caught site of the boston marathon dude right near the end of the plymouth creek single track with about 2 miles to go. after that it was a bomber descent to the finish. the first mile was rocky, technical, washed out double track. Half way down that, in really technical spot I made the pass and took some chances. by the time i hit the final single track with a mile to go i couldnt seem him or anybody else coming for me.
so stoked to pull off a 3rd in my first race out here and especially since it's my longest run in about 3 months. super fun to do shorter races too. definitely going to do quite a bit more of them if i can.
last race before the fifinator arrives!