Originally posted by: silverpig
Congrats IB on a great race! I was delayed getting down to the finish line so I missed seeing you finish.
I won't spoil the result so AT will have to wait to hear the time.
Thanks piggy!
The conditions were perfect in Victoria today (sunny and crisp, with no wind).
I started off well, dipping under 6 minutes for the first few miles. I met up with a Vancouver runner and a Japanese runner about 5 km into the race (approaching Beacon Hill Park). We ripped off kilometre after kilometre together, hitting very even splits despite some gradual uphills along Beach Drive.
We caught up with the lead female runner and the guy pacing her, and picked up a couple other runners, so we had a pack of 5-6 rolling along. We split 1:19:40 at the half - still a bit under.
The Vancouver runner took off around 25 km. Although I was feeling pretty good still, I couldn't stay with him. I stayed with the lead female and her pacer, and we shook off the other two runners (the Japanese runner took off though). I hit 2:02 and change at 20 miles.
He paced us expertly through 34 km, and then I started to fade a bit. I still kept them in sight. Even coming back along Beach Drive, when they had gained several hundred metres on me, I was able to pick off the slower runners and move along street by street.
With just over 1 km to go, I started to accelerate. My calves had been tightening and my feet were sore, but I hadn't really hit the wall. I was fatigued, but my quads were still good.
I finished in
2:44:09, a PR by almost 6 minutes. The Vancouver runner who took off on me had slowed up considerably, and he only beat me by a minute. I had an outside goal to break 2:40, and although I gave myself a chance, it didn't happen given my recent illness. Still, I'm thrilled with my time as I beat my Dad's best from 30 years ago.
I felt far better this time around and wasn't nearly as wrecked at the finish. Still, I left it all out there and I am now quite stiff. Bumped into some of my old university buddies who had run the half-marathon, so that was cool.
Official results aren't up yet, but I'm pretty sure I was in the top 20. I'll sort through pics and post some tomorrow.
So the gauntlet is down AT - let's see who can set the next marathon record for our forum!