New Bedford Half Marathon

Sunday: March 15, 2015 

I have done this race the past couple years as it is always well run and has good competion. This year was the first time I would be using it at my debut race of the season. I was definetly nervous but also had some confidence from my training, the goal was to try and be close to 75mins. I have run well under that in the past but today was just about getting the ball rolling, the only other goal I had was to be racing! In the past I've got so caught up with times and splits that I'll find myself pacing a race instead of laying it out there which also tends to leave me giving up if the "pace" isn't going right opposed to fighting forward.

Race: I lined up in the 2nd row and was ready to get to work, shortly after the start I found myself in a group with some local guys (John Farely, Brad Lewis and Bob Irwin) I knew we would be shooting for the same overall time and rolled with them for the first 4m. Once the down hills came I wanted to close the gap on those infront of us and use the course, the next 3-4m I was feeling confident and even checked a few splits to see mid 520-530's. Somewhere between 8-9 miles I started to feel the wheels coming off, Al Berner (cms) came by and tried to get me to go with him. I fought to change my stride and stick with him, even so he was pulling away. Around this point some of the others I was with earlier came by, my focus changed from wording about time to trying to catch back up. At the 11m mark I spotted John and wanted to catch him and try to work together. Once I closed the gap I kept pressing in an attempt for him to come with me. As I approached the final hill I kept thinking to attach it, unfortunately for me there was very little attack left in the tank. I finished up in 1:18:09 just over 4mins from my Pr. Typically I would have been some what upset with the result, the mere fact that I continued to fight and was on a good pace thru 8m I was happy about. Hell my 10m split wasn't horrible either and I was going backwards at that point!

Overall it was a good trip, would have liked to hang on a bit longer but these things happen mostly in the first couple races of the year. I know my training is going well and my fitness is coming, I need to continue to stay focused and add a few more races into my training for VCM. 

Splits:

1)5:37.               6)5:40.     11)6:19

2)5:51.               7)5:28.     12)6:08

3)6:01.               8)5:54.     13)6:24

4)6:03.               9)5:59.      .1):54 (78:09)

5)5:33 (29:04)   10)6:13 (58:22)

Up next: I am still up in the air a bit, there is a local 5m at the end of the month I might jump into or I'll look for some 5ks just to get my body used to racing a bit more again.