Within about 1min I was into z4 and was at my est. LT within the first half-mile. I felt good though and knew from the warm-up that HR might not be very helpful at the start so I ignored it. Throughout the 1st mile I was passing by people and trying to get some space to run. I had started in about the middle of the pack but it was never so bad that I had to alter my pace--just my positioning.

I ran the 1st mile in about 7:45. Hmm, maybe just a little faster than I wanted, but felt okay. Now I had space to run and was still generally passing people. I would look for someone to run behind that seemed to be at about my pace, but eventually I would pass most of them. Mile 2 was in 7:43. Tried to get some water at the aid station, but drinking while running at this pace was near impossible. Got a couple sips, choked on some and threw the rest away.

Mile 3 was in 7:34. Now I was beginning to wonder if I had gone out too fast and would blow-up. Well, too late now. Tried to focus on keeping my cadence. Found another runner who was striking at about the same rate and we ran shoulder-to-shoulder for the next mile. Ran under a bridge on the way back and took a deep sigh as the shade felt great. The other guy noted how nice it would be if the shade would last. That's when I realized I was pretty hot. Finished mile 4 in about 7:39 and picked up the pace--my running buddy did not so I was on my own.

There weren't that many people now. There was a group of 3 a ways ahead of me and I gradually reeled them in over the next mile. It was sometime during this period that I realized I might be able to break 45:00 as I felt good and thought I could at least hold my current pace. Hit the water station again and did my same act of sip, spill, choke, toss. Finished mile 5 in about 6:46.

Right at this point as I was passing the 3 runners, I got a stitch in my side and within a few strides I knew it was trouble. Mother&(*#&$! I slowed my pace and tried to get some deep breaths in. I didn't want to walk at all because I didn't know if I'd get started again. For the next .5-.75mi I struggled through it and then it passed. Sweet! So I picked up the pace and passed 2 of the runners that I had originally passed at the 5mi. marker. Finished the last 1.2 in 9:10, so only slowed to about a 7:40 pace.

Saw my wife and kids cheering for me as I came up to the finish and ran through!


I don't know. Was the stich from my pace? Choking on the water? Not getting enough water? Except for that this race could not have gone much better! I did learn that drinking at a race pace is much different than drinking at my training pace. If the race had been any longer or if it had been any hotter, I would have to have slowed down at the stations to get some water down. My wife said my face was caked in salt after I finished.

Walked with Jack & Emma for a few minutes and drank some H2O. Did some stretching and walked over to the refreshment area. Had a banana, some orange slices, a Zone bar and a soft pretzel. Also another H2O. Sat on the grass with the kids & Kath and stretched a little more.


The side stitch at mile 5 marker. This might have been due to the pace I had set until that point--don't know. If not for this, I felt good enough to at least hold the 6:45 pace I did for the 5th mile.


This was well-organized and for a good cause. The course is almost pancake flat which is much different than my training runs--nice. I look forward to doing more runs by the river.