To Be Expected

....well my foray into racing before I am ready might work over 10km, but I paid for it over the 1/2 marathon distance this weekend. I had relatively low expectations and had decided long in advance I would run my own race. Training had gone well the last 2 weeks with some okay sessions, good long runs and just a more positive attitude to process of running.

I was hoping for something in the area of mid 1:08 to lowish 1:09 (around 5:15 mile/3:15 km pace). I went thru the first mile in just under 5:15 pace and simply stayed there. In the end that was a big mistake as I let the pack go, but they never really pulled away substantially for quite a while. I ended up running with Todd Howard, but the whole time was chomping at the bit to go after the lead pack. There were simply staying the same distance after about the 1.5 mile mark.

Unfortunately for both myself and Todd (moreso Todd), he was having a bad day. I didn't get all my splits, but knew I was band on 5:15 pace at 2 miles and a few seconds over at 5 mile. But once again I felt constrained by the pace and ended up leaving Todd and going solo.

For those who know boith my personality and racing style I am the worst time trialer in the world. I've never been able to really push myself when I am alone, but for the next 4-5 miles I was doing okay.

Then things went from okay to absoutely messy. I could feel my form and mind getting a little unfocussed. I knew that some huge time was out of the question, but thru 9-10 miles I figured I could throw down a good last mile and run around 1:09. I went thru 10 miles in 53 minutes and the guy at the mile marker told me I was only about 30 seconds down. For about 10 miles things went very smoothly. Even to the point where I was questioning why I hadn't gone with the lead pack.......and then......

...everything fell apart. The good thing is that it wasn't my legs (maybe even my mind I hope) that went down, but rather my hip/back/core. I went from a consistent pace/stride to shooting pains down my leg. Not as bad as my first marathon when it was like someone taking a hammer to my hip/IT bands, but more sharp shooting pains that took away power from my right leg. I have a back condition that has hindered me since I've been running. Over the 10km and down distances I have some issues with it, but anything longer and when it flares up it's deblilitating. It generally occurs when I get tired, my form falters a bit and then my back tightens up (nerve pressure).

I ran as tough as I could and at mile 12 I almost stopped because the pain was so bad, but I trudged along as I was in no mans land, but that was about to stop as my slow pace allowed Jay Macdonald and Paul Krochak to catch up to me (about 2 miles earlier I had a minute plus lead on them).

I was lucky as I had regained some form, but was still struggling. Jay caught me at the bottom of a hill, which one might think is bad, but in this case it was good, as running uphills takes pressure off my back and hills always gives me good form. I was able to relax and somehow hang on Jay where I used my tactical experiences to ake sure I had the lead going around the last corner and then 50 meters to the finish. I ran just hard enough to stay ahead of Jay. Afterwards my hip was so bad I could barely walk, but I somehow managed the slowest warmdown of all time....