Team 1 and Laughlin - Thanks very much. Yes, I am still basking in it. It feels good.
Very happy about the race, and what it may indicate in regard to the marathon, and even in regard to my overall fitness. As I had mentioned in the other thread, I got very little sleep at the hotel. Even so, I was still excited about racing.
Glad I elected to walk to the race (about .8 of a mile from my hotel). Avoided parking and baggage hassles. As usual, porta-potty lines were crazy, and so I was glad to find a couple of trees to water...good private spots. Took a gel about 20 min. before the start, and took off feeling pretty good. It is a nice course, with the start and finish alongside a double-track mainline (Amtrak/CSX). Felt good in the first three miles, settling in. Wanted to go 1:25:xx, and so I had 6:32-ish in my head for an average. Go even pace and hit low 6:30s right from the get-go, right? Nope. Wanted to settle in, and see what my body was telling me, see what God gave me on this particular day. Thus, my goal was to be 6:45 through the first mile, and I was exactly that--6:45. My plan was to get down to race pace after a few miles, and that is what I did.
The course rolls through town, and then is mostly uphill until about the seventh mile. While the first four felt good, five and six were so-so. I think I was just getting tired of the mostly uphill running, keeping a solid pace, 6:32, 6:32, and 6:32 through 4, 5, and 6. In miles seven and eight, I started feeling very good again, as I had early on in the race. I did not want to get excited quite yet, as I knew that the 12th mile would be the hilliest. Overall, the course was rolling, but not super hilly.
My other main strategy (in addition to easing-in) was to drink early so that I would not have to worry about drinking later on. This worked out perfectly. I gather I looked like an out-of-shape goof taking water at 2 and 4, but who cares. My goal was to focus on taking down the pace in the second half, and this really helped me to do so.
Passed a large group of girls at the mile 9 mark--what seemed to be a high school track/cross country squad--and they were cheering wildly. As I passed, I smiled and said to them, "What a nice looking group of ladies!" and I took my last gulp of water. Those gals really energized me. Right before taking the water, I took an energy gel.
I ran solo for most of the race, and was working on catching this tall guy ahead of me. Mile by mile, he got closer and closer. I saw the mile 11 marker, and saw the short, steep hill coming up. I climbed it swiftly, but in control, and that mile was definitely the hilliest. I was really pumped, though, because I knew I was picking up speed: 6:26, 6:20, 6:22, 6:29 through 7, 8, and 9, and 10..and then boom 6:11 through mile 11, which had a fair amount of downhill. So, I opted to be careful with that tough 12th mile, as I knew a PR was clearly on tap.
Got closer to the guy ahead of me, and he started looking back at me. Ran 6:31 in the 12th, and was feeling ready to finish fast. At this point, I was so excited, knowing that once I reached the fork in the road (at about 12.5) I would be near the end. I picked up the pace, and so did he. The fork came, and I was feeling good. I soon checked my watch, and saw "12.61" and was elated. I picked it up some more. Made the last right turn, and could see the yellow banner at the finish. I dropped it down to 5:45 pace in the last 600 or so. Did not catch the guy, but, to be honest, I was so happy to be where I was, and then see 1:24:xx on the clock, that it did not matter to me.
All I wanted to do was cross that line feeling good and in one piece, under 1:25. And I did. As I crossed, a feeling of pure joy swept through my body. I was there, and the work had paid off. Went 6:14 in the 13th mile, and still had a little left in the tank.