After the DNF at Marine Corps Marathon, racing Monumental
was a done deal. I hadn’t done too much damage to be ready to go based on where
I dropped MCM and had two weeks to recover and regroup. All my training in
between was good.
On Thursday before the race I went to the expo to pick up
packets, drop off some things, and head out for my run. All was good and it was
nice to see people.
The cold weather moved in Thursday night, but that didn’t
stop me from being at the shakeout run with Deena Kastor at 6 AM Friday. Even
though that meant I was on a bus at 5:15 AM. When I am normally still asleep. I
had a too quick and very cold two mile run and even got to run part of it with
Deena. Then I had to go to work for a bit, then back to the expo for coach Matt
Ebersole’s talk and Deena Kastor’s talk. I took the bus home to have dinner
with David and settle into final race prep.
Saturday morning was blustery, but I had my gear ready to
go. David came down early and gave me a ride. We walked to the start/PBT tent
together and to my corral. Then he took my warm up clothes and headed to drop
extra clothes and get ready for the 5K that started 30 min after we did.
I intentionally didn’t go talk to the 5-hour pacers or start
with the group. I was pretty much keeping to myself. My first miles weren’t too
fast but let me know that it wasn’t going to be a sub-5 day and I adjusted to
settling into B goal of 5:09 or C goal of 5:15. That was comfortable within
what I was running. Around mile 5 I took off my top long sleeve, but kept it in
case the wind was cold later. I enjoy the section between the 10K split timer
and the half/full split because people are starting to figure out what kind of
day they are having and it is interesting to observe. After the full split
there are some weird parts of the course until you turn north off 38th
Street into the neighborhoods. I was comfortable through half and felt I was
having a solid B goal day. Nutrition was working well. I wasn’t able to get
water at every stop but it was cold enough that I wasn’t too worried.
The half marathon split comes as you head across to the west
side of the center of town and toward the Butler University campus. There are a
few rolling hills there. There is also the spot where I dropped out of the race
in 2009. I was fine through campus and managed down the ramp onto White River
Parkway well. I was cautious on the downhill because I have had a hamstring
niggle that is intolerant of fast downhill for a while (coach knew, nothing
new). Felt warm enough to lose my gloves at 20. Sailed through 21 and the
Phoenix Loft aid station. At 22 I ditched my hat and buff because they felt
warm and honestly really heavy, when I took them off I swear they weighed 8
pounds.
I thought it was nutrition time, but reminded myself I had
just done it at 20 and was supposed to wait until 24. Well, I took it right at
24 but I ended up having a really slow mile. Like 90 sec slow. I was able to
regroup a bit at 25 and pick it up near the cheer zone, and then run hard into
the finish. My final time was 5:16:29. Well, that was a 13:15 PR and good
enough for D goal.
I do have a 4:59 in me. It just wasn’t that day. I don’t
know when it will be, but I would like it to be sooner rather than later. I
have some work to do. Coach says we all do.
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