Chip time: 2:54:25 (6:39 min/mile). Negative split: 1:27:40, 1:26:45. I hope this is good enough for the Boston cutoff this year…
Probably among my best-executed marathons, if not THE best, so far, despite my ever-declining confidence leading up to this race, and ever-increasing anxiety about my wheels falling off in one disastrous way or another.
Definitely took advantage of the obviously favorable, yet surprisingly consistent, downhill profile (which maybe gave me at least 2-3 minutes to really seal the deal today). The only downsides today were the 99% gravel course and unending bends and curves of the course. More on that later.
Other notables: First time running in a 2.5 mile tunnel, during Mile 2. In a nutshell, it wasn’t as disorienting as I thought it might be, but it definitely felt somewhat claustrophobic. Another first: Was about 10 or so feet from a black bear around Mile 21, wow.
Didn’t leave much, if anything, on the table. Took “progressively greater risks” after mile 20 (18, really), and was on the verge of hamstring, quad, and calf cramps, but everything fell apart only after I crossed the finish line. Legs are OK now, but stomach is still upset, hours later. Not as wrecked now, but not sure how ultrarunners can do this for so many more hours.
Will write a proper report tomorrow when I’m back in SF! Will be trying to recover as quickly as possible for next weekend’s Skyline 50K!
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