I didn't have high expectations since I've been focusing on improving my weak bike legs. I did want to break the 20 minute mark again, and had some hopes of setting a PR at 19:12, given that I'd spent the previous week at 9700' in Colorado. I also wanted to get a quality run in the newton mv2's I bought at the end of last year (sweet shoes, but more on these in a minute).
Long story short, I paced myself very well in this race. The middle mile was a little slower than an ideal split, but there was a headwind and the road rolls a bit on this stretch. I picked up the tailwind on the way back for a negative split and crossed the finish line in an 18:44. A PR by 28 seconds! Very happy with how the race went, and only makes me wonder if sub-18 is possible with some track/speed work.
On to the shoes...I knew I was in trouble with these shoes at mile 2. You're supposed to train in these, not just throw them on and race. If you're not familiar with the MV2, they are a "zero-drop" shoe that weighs next to nothing. Needless to say, they are fast and efficient, but I've only been running 5-10 miles per week in my trail runners and other Newtons. Not quite the same. My calves were rocked and I was hobbling around for a few days. I'll have to incorporate some speed-work with these this year so that I can race in them without repeating my foolishness. This didn't stop me from following up the run with a nice 40 mile solo effort on the bike. Heck, if it is 85 degrees in March, you better take advantage of it!
Next race is the 5/3 Riverbank Run 25k on May 12. The biggest 25k in the US. Great race, great price. Can't go wrong with a post-race beer tent!
