| Date: | March 23, 2014 |
| Distance: | 21.2 km |
| Time: | 1:27:57 |
| Pace: | 0:04:11 minutes/km |
| Overall Place: | 46/476 |
| Division (M30-34) Place: | 6/23 |
| Map: | here |
This race was a bit of an experiment as to how ready I am for a theorettical attack on an marathon PR. My goal for the race was to run my marathon PR pace and see how I felt. I hate to admit it, but it seems a bit far fetched at this point to maintain that for another 21 km. I'm not sure whether it was the hills, or a lack of preparation, but I was kind of starting to tank at the end. I had to really push it the last kilometer to manage to squeak in under my goal pace. That said, I was running the goal pace for an _ambitious_ PR. To technically run a PR, I could do 4:13 / km and still beat my old time by almost 30 seconds. So that _may_ be feasible in a couple of months. I guess we shall see.
The course was a rural out-and-back, w/o _that_ much scenery, but there weren't many cars either. The pace was a little slow on the way out (the climb) and speedier on the way back until you bottom out at the river and then it was a slog for the last 3-4 km. I think I need new shoes; my feet were bloody afterwards.