Did okay but . . .

I ran my race. No, actually I ran everyone else's race. Why do slow people insist on getting near the starting line? I'm sorry . . . I am not fast but I can run an 8 minute pace. Why do 12 minute milers want to get that close to the front? PLEASE explain!!!

I tried to get into the pen area where the 8 minute pacers were supposed to be. FULL. I moved back, and back, and back. I wish the race officials would actually seed people and place them accordingly. Can you tell that I am slightly perturbed? My first mile was 10 1/2 minutes. Most of the time was spent passing and weaving through walkers and slower runners. Don't get me wrong. I am not a race snob. I have no reason to be. But I know better than to line up with the 5 minute milers. I will line up with the 8 minute milers. Why must a 300 lb walker (nothing wrong with that) line up in the 7 minute per mile chute?

Anyway . . . after a 10 1/2 minute mile, my second mile sped up to a blazing 9:15 pace. 2 miles into the race I am 2 minutes and 15 seconds in the hole. I never really did hit my pace until after mile 3. Mile 5-6 was all uphill so that was a slow mile. Mile 9-10 was all uphill. Being sick caught up with me after mile 10. Let's just say I had the trots with the trots! Lost another minute in the port-o-let at mile 11.

Bottom line is I did not break the 1:50 I wanted. Clock time was 1:55 and change. I have not checked my chip time but I think it is somewhere around 1:53. Not to make excuses-it was in the high 20s with 20-25 mph wind gusts out of the NW. The windchill during the race was high teens/low 20s. Not exactly ideal conditions.

Here I am around mile 7. I was making up time and feeling good at this point. I'm the guy on the right!

Overall, I am happy with my run. I just wish a couple of things had gone better. You live and learn. Next time I'll get into the chutes an hour early to make sure I have a half decent start.