"Run With The Wind" 25K Race Report

  Well I made it! My first race of over 5K in over two years! The plan worked! Run on the treadmill it's more forgiving...watch your calories and drop 14 lbs...then maybe I could run long again?!
   So with much nervousness and uncertainty I went to the race.....over an hour drive away...starting at 9am I had plenty of time to eat, drink coffee, and wake up.
  The field was the largest ever so they said. The course was very nice and essentially flat. There were two sections with pretty good hills. Hardly any wind, lots of sunshine and probably 40ish. Perfect!
  My plan was to start slow and at 8 miles pick up the pace and try to hit  HM pace
(8:27).
   So I hung back and continually had to slow down. I broke the race into 4 mile increments. Miles 1-4 looked like this: 9:28-9:12-9:12-9:24...I felt so good and strong! I noticed the Garmin getting into the mid 8's so I'd slow back down! At this time I had to pull over and relieve myself.....all the people I was passing went by....big group:)
  Miles 5-8 looked like this: 8:50-9:23-9:14-9:07- I found myself trailing four runners and I had my plan set that at 8 miles I was going to begin to push....we had a short hill and coming down I realized I was at half way-7.8 miles so I said to myself "Let's Go" I mean I punched it and passed the group! Miles 9-12 looked like this: 8:38-9:12-8:43-9:44, I'd say this was the toughest section because of the huge hills! That 9:44 was because of the one big hill on this course and it was a good one! BTW I had been picking off runners steadily through this stretch. The field was so spread out that I only passed 4 or 5 more runners the rest of the way and was not passed at all! No one near me!
  Miles 13-finish: 8:49, 8:59, 8:46, .64-8:37- I began to hurt around 14.2 miles....my feet, and my legs beginning to fatigue...my breathing was at the wheeze point but I was not going to let up! I have to say I was done at 15 miles! Boy the finish was good to see!
  Unofficial-2:22:18-9:06's! That is better than I could of hoped for!
  So some recovery time will be planned and I will continue training for my goal Marathon on April 28th. Next planned race is March 31st which is a HM....I may look for a 10K between now and then just for the fun of it! Have a great weekend! Peace!