Estimates and Guesses????

Lol... you know how I have a tendency to jackrabbit the start of a race, go out fast and then have my pace slow down in the last part (instead of having negative splits)? Well, I need to be both the tortoise and the hare for tomorrow's Mountain Mist.

This is by NO means an easy flat fast road race. The trails in the second half of the race are tougher/slower than the beginning sections. So, I need to start fast/er BUT still run smart enough to have the energy to actually complete the whole race.... And, as previously whined over at length about, there are three different checkpoints with cut off times to meet. Given the trails and terrain (I'm betting on LOTS of MUD), a faster paced last half or running an even pace throughout is impossible. There are so many variable to consider!

I've been pouring over the split times chart from last year, http://www.huntsvilletrackclub.org/results/
MM06/MMSPLITS.htm and plugging numbers into this pace caculator at
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/4/4_1/96.
shtml

This information gives me a basic notion of what to expect for possible paces for different sections, with varying difficulty, of the course. Lol..or at least providing a placebo effect false sense of security and comfort about it! I looked mostly at/around the split times for the last finisher (who made all the cut offs).

Believe me, I will be pleased as punch to be the LAST finisher....just so long I finish!

fyi: my race pace (for a marathon distance) is about 10-12 min per mile; my training pace is slower and this race will be too.

so.....here's my guess-timated timeline (of sorts): ( Read more... )

Friday evening

Ran errands at lunch and got my gu, cliff bars, ginger, a bottle of water and a new sports bra (ok, laugh at me Hannah--its a 34A)

I stopped in Madison on my way home after work and got my hair trimmed (just the bangs and tips) and got it french braided, which I hope holds and works tomorrow to keep my hair under control and out of the way.

I'm chowing down on some ricey carbs for dinner and have blintzes and bananas for dessert.

I picked up my race packet; I'm number 326. :) Got a nice black tech shirt as this years race shirt, short sleeve, women's cut. I also snagged the last leftover tech shirt from the previous year (for 5$); it's a really cool tank with black accents at the shoulders and sides and a pretty bright peacock blue for the rest.

Asked the fella at the check in table if he had any advice for a first timer. (Wow; he said he's done the race TEN times) He counseled that it's gonna be muddy and, to avoid the worst mucky mud, power through the middle of the puddles instead of skirting the edges. Hope my gortex shoes live up to their advertising.