Sacramento Marathon 2006

Officially, I was:

45th, M35-39. #2076, 06:07 pace/mile, 01:18:32 (half), 8th in age group, 2:40:19.

Full results here.

I'll write a longer report in the days to come and outline some ideas I have for the future but for now I'll leave you with a brief summary and my mile splits.

I was up at 2:40 a.m. and felt great, rested 10 hours yesterday. Out for a very short (8') jog, ate, relaxed, i.e., Sudoku. Hopped on the bus at 5:00. Talked with a nervous runner, giving him race advice made me feel better (he was trying to qualify for Boston, needed a 3:10). Dropped off at the race start just after 5:30... it's cold. I'm guessing it was around 1 - 2C for the start of the race but clear. Tried to stay relaxed and warm. Race started at 7:00.

I managed to start at the front and as discussed before aimed to take it out in 5:57 pace (2:36:00).
1 5:58 (rolling hills from 1 - 15 miles)
2 5:59
3 5:49
4 5:53
5 5:52
6 5:53 (it was around here that I remembered how long a marathon was, yikes, what have I signed myself up for?)
7 5:57 (Gu #1)
8 6:05 (big hills start)
9 6:05 (ditched gloves)
10 & 11 12:13 (at around 10 miles my left hamstring cramped for a brief second, I tried not to adjust my stride, frustrated)
12 6:06
13 6:02 (Gu #2)
14 5:58 (left calf cramps for a brief second, have never had calf problems before)
15 6:11 (nasty hills begin to fade, quads and hamstrings are taking a beating and on the verge of cramping from here on in, was afraid to push the pace for fear of walking as happened in Ottawa earlier this year)
16 5:56 (ditched toque)
17 6:13
18 6:12 (ditched arm warmers, Gu #3)
19 6:08
20 6:14
21 & 22 12:45 (I contemplated turning off the watch here, continued taking splits but didn't look, just focused on the runners in front, Gu #4)
23 6:24 (thought I'd pick it up here as I was nearing the end, thought I could struggle through a cramp)
24 6:26 (Good thing I didn't pick it up earlier)
25 6:15
Finish 2:40:19.

As I came around the last corner I couldn't see the time (not wearing my glasses) but I could make out the shape, bugger. I wasn't going to run a 2:3x:xx today. Although I didn't hit my pace time I was only 4 minutes off and I did set a PB by over 5 minutes... I'm happy with but want more!

Okay, my duty free scotch is finished (the glass not the bottle) and I'm off to bed.