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Comments: I really didn't know what to expect this race. Early summer I was running really well, but as is my theme, I injured myself a bit and ended up having to slow my pace a lot. After that injury healed, I kept my pace pretty slow as I was finally healing my chronically achy hamstring. So, I knew I had the distance in me, just didn't know the pace. I also didn't know how an uphill course would affect my time. The course's overall gain is not bad at all, but there were a lot of hills. There were a few of them I almost walked, but didn't since if I did I didn't think I'd start again! Those hills also brought me to the edge of puking. So, that was fun! I started the race running with Tracie, but knew she'd pull away. She is much faster than i, but I thought that since she just ran a marathon 2 weeks earlier, she would go more slowly and I could hang for a bit. Miles 1-3 I was with her and on my normal HM pace. Then she started to pull away. For many miles she was only about 25-30 feet in front of me, but it may as well have been 1000 feet, there was no sayid be able to catch her. Then about mile 8 or 9 she was just a colored shirt I see flashing around a corner until I completely lost sight of her! After Tracie pulled ahead of me, I was pretty much running alone. People would come up and pass me and I'd pass some, but we never ran together for more than. A few seconds. It could have been lonely, but the course was so pretty, I was happy being by myself. My HM PR is 1:52 and through about half the course I wasn't too far off, but then the bigger up hills and camber came and my pace dropped and there was nothing I could do about it! I was also a little afraid to push too much since I really didn't know what the course had to offer and how'd I respond and I didn't want to blow up. When the 2 hr pace group - pacer and 1 runner!!, went past me around mile 9 I was really discouraged, but when I checked my garmin I decided I was on tap to be well under 2 and they were fast. Thankfully, I was right. The last mile you end up running across the street from the finish, then passing it a bit before going to a tunnel to the other side, up a steep, short hill and into the finish. It was a bit of a bummer to have to pass the finish, but as I did I heard the announcer call Tracie's name. That was pretty cool and got me picking up my legs a bit. But just a bit. Came into the finish and was really happy to be sub 2. What would you do differently?: If I'm going to run races in the smoky mountains I should probably get out to our "hills" a bit more! I also need to remember for these out of town races to take my normal pre-race breakfast with me - a cinnamon raison bagel. I had some kind bar, but was afraid to eat too much because my stomach is delicate :), so I may not have had proper nutrition. I didn't feel like I was out of fuel, but maybe some of my hill struggles can be attributed to it.  Post race
Warm down: Grabbed some water then waited with Tracie for Susan to finish. That didn't take too long. Tracie placed 3d in the. Master's division and I won my AG, so we stuck around for awards. What limited your ability to perform faster: Florida . Event comments: This was the first year for this race and overall the company did a really nice job and had really nice swag. They were a bit disorganized with awards and timing. Some people's chips didn't register, so at first I was told I placed 5th in masters ( they went 5 deep in each category) and even got the award. Then later that day an email went out saying they messed up stuff and asked people to check results and email if there was a problem. They then decided another runner placed 2d in Masters which pushed everyone else down and me out! They said they will send me the AG award, so I will have 3 medals! Last updated: 2014-06-07 12:00 AM
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United States
60F / 16C
Sunny
Overall Rank = /
Age Group =
Age Group Rank = 1/36
As this was an out of state race, we were in a hotel, so my normal pre- race routine was shot. But, it's nothing special anyway, so this was no big deal.
Up at 4, drank coffee, and ate a kind bar. Drove the roughly .5 mile to the race site in time to get on the buses that took us to the start. We weren't t lazy driving to the site, there were no street lights , we'd have to walk in wet grass and we wanted access to the car to change post race.
Nothing but my shivering body and chattering teeth. It was in the mid 50*s at the start of the race! which is perfect! but this Florida girl isn't used to it, so when I had to shed my jacket for final gear check I was cold. I made Tracie and Susan huddle around me to keep me warm.