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20120911

Race Review for FMSM and PHM



After a day off from running on Friday, I venture up to Frederick for Maryland famous Market Street Mile. I usually run easy for 5 miles on the day before a hard race; therefore, racing in a mile race the day before Parks Half Marathon doesn't seem too bad and it wasn't.

Saturday morning, I got to YMCA Frederick very early and start my warm up by jog the first half of the course out and back. The course layout is run south toward downtown Frederick for one third of the mile on Market Street, then flat/downhill to the finish line at Carroll Creek Way. There was no clock or quarter mile sign to check split, but someone put a faded 400m mark on the street.

As times gone by, GO was called, and I charged out.  I hit that 400m mark at exactly 1m’20s’ and I told to myself ‘pretty good, but don’t slow down now.’  As I continued to the top and turned left, I felt sore.  Out of blue, some guy on a bike called out ‘two minutes and 45 seconds’, I realized that was the half way and I slowed down.  I cross the finished line with 5m’22.98s’ on my watch – I tied my personal best on the miler. 

I check my result at the end, I placed 6th in AG and 29th overall.  I jogged the mile back to my car as warm down before headed south to RnJ for my Parks Half package. I was happy with the miler result and I didn’t run all out for the half next day. 






Sunday morning, I awoke at 04:40, heated some oatmeal, and squeezed the press for some extra strong Joe.  By 06:15, I already on the staging area of Parks Half Marathon and the weather was almost prefect.  I love this race, mainly because it laid on trails that I train regularly.  Before the gun goes off, I told myself to go easy for first 5k, but not too easier than 6:45 pace.

At 07:00, the familiar G-word was shouted loud-and-clear, people were surge out, but I hold my composure stroll down Veris Mill Road.  I hold a pretty steady pace for most part of the race.  Around mile 2.5, Megan Digregorio of Falls Road caught up to me and we raced back-and-forth each other for most part of the race.  She surged around mile 9, but I didn’t let her get too far ahead of me; and after Connecticut Avenue turn around, by mile 12, I caught and passed her, and eventually finished ahead of her.  I finished the race with a solid 29-second personal best at 1h’25m’34s’.  I placed 18th in AG, 51st by gender, and 55th overall.  http://www.mcrrc.org/parks-half-marathon-men


Splits (from Timex watch) below:


06:31.44
06:23.05
06:36.25
06:34.29
06:23.48
06:36.49
06:32.50
06:26.56
06:28.27
06:24.67
06:36.47
06:42.67
06:39.55
00:41.03

It was my second time to PRed in Parks Half; Golden Vixen said Parks must be my race and I had to agree with her.  I was extreme sore after the race; spend some good ole time with follow running friends at Jeff's roof top corn-hole party.



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