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Super Jock 'n' Jill Half Marathon

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Location:

WA,

Member Since:

Feb 10, 2007

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Local Elite

Running Accomplishments:

I was an 800/1500 runner in high school and college, with PRs of 1:55 and 4:08. I've run as fast as 16:15 for 5k and 1:20 for a half, but my bests in recent years are 17:07 5k (Dec. '11), 37:40 10k (Jan. '12), 1:23:49 half (Sept. '08), 2:53:12 marathon (September '10), and 4:45:06 50k (March '10).

Short-Term Running Goals:

Late 2015/2016 races: 

— Seattle Soltice 10k (Dec. 19)

— Nookachamps half marathon (Jan. 16)

— Toyko Marathon (Feb. 28) 

Personal:

I'm an editor at a newspaper in Bremerton, Washington and head coach of the Bremerton Jaguars youth track and field team.

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Race: Super Jock 'n' Jill Half Marathon (13.1 Miles) 01:23:49, Place overall: 42, Place in age division: 13
Total Distance
17.00

Super Jock 'n' Jill Half in Woodinville, it's a pretty big race for the area and popular. Big crowd out there today. I didn't have the greatest past few days in preparation, but still felt confident about my goals: Definitely under 1:24, my half time earlier this year, possibly sub-1:22 if I felt good, and an outside chance at 1:20 if the stars aligned.

Weather was forecast to be sunny and 70, but it was cloudy and 55 at the start. I thought it would feel cold, but once we were 400m in I warmed up and was very pleasant. Really nice course. Starts at a brewery (though, oddly, no free post-race beer) and the first 3 or so are on a country road. Then you hit urban trails along a river for awhile, well wooded. Then back onto roads at about the halfway point, uphill through a little business park and an old-timey neighborhood and downtown, then a few moderately confusing switchbacks and turnarounds where you see the field repeatedly, then back on the trail to finish.

I went out with the second pack, more or less, it was a little strung out by mile 1 but basically all the elites racing out front, a gap, then a string that I was a part of. A lot of teams racing, and I tucked in with what I think was Club Northwest. That set-up pulled me well under pace for the first four, which came back to bite me in the end. I stayed with the group for about four miles, then drifted and spent most of the race on my own. Here's the splits:

5:54, 6:11, 6:02, 6:05, 6:17, 6:23, 6:41, 6:18, 6:26, 6:39, 6:49, 6:52, 6:32, 0:35.

The first four, like I said, were too fast. I feared I'd regret it, though I knew that start set me up for a special race if I held on. I didn't. By mile 5 I let the pack go and settled down to a better pace, slowed a bit on the unexpectedly steep hill, then got back into a groove for two miles. But I was pooped by 10, then ran three disappointing miles. I knew that keeping them under 7 would keep me on pace for 1:24, and under 6:30 would make 1:22 realistic. I'm frustrated now that I couldn't keep that pace, but I just had spent too much energy early and that just made me frustrated for being an idiot. I managed to get back on pace for the last mile, but I was getting passed by that point (**Cody should stop reading now, but yes, I got passed by a woman with less than two miles**) and just didn't have it. So I wrapped up the race, met Dale and the finish and we cooled down and talked for awhile. I still met my baseline goal, so I'm not upset by the race, and other than that stretch at the end felt pretty strong. Can't complain too much. Definitely better than being at work.


Comments
From Dale on Tue, Sep 02, 2008 at 09:49:43

Still a great race Dave. Sometimes you've gotta try and go for it to see if you have one of those "great races" in you that day. Even without it, you still ran great. Hope you decide to run the half on the 13th and Tri-Cities on Oct 26th....I could use the help at the marathon, for sure!

From Jon on Tue, Sep 02, 2008 at 09:59:50

Good race, even though you got chicked. At least the picture of you getting passed wasn't on the front page of the paper, like his was.

Are you still planning on Portland Marathon?

From josse on Tue, Sep 02, 2008 at 10:02:54

Oh so sorry you got chicked, boo hoo on you;) that last 3 are always hard and I hate when you finish and are so mad that you can't hold on. That has happened to me so many times, I think it happens to us all. Good job on the race.

From cody on Tue, Sep 02, 2008 at 10:08:17

I am so disappointed...But like Jon said, at least it didn't make the paper. I am sure you could arrange that still if you wanted to immortalize the moment. I wouldn't recommend it...

From David on Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 00:33:21

Wouldn't have been a very good photo -- she was too far ahead of me!

Dale, I read up on Tri-Cities tonight, I'm leaning toward going there with you for my fall marathon. Cheaper, three more weeks of training and a weak field (sub-3:08 puts us in the top ten based on last year's times -- though it could have been snowing a year ago to account for that). I'll let you know, got to get out tomorrow and make sure my legs still work alright.

From paul on Wed, Sep 03, 2008 at 11:26:47

Nice job. Too bad there was no beer at the finish. Makes you wonder what the world is coming to. I hope you at least got a nice cotton t-shirt out of it.

From Michael on Thu, Sep 04, 2008 at 15:58:56

Way to run Dave, nice time. We now live up here at Sequim. My son ran that Bremerton Blackberry 5K race that I think you did last year - abit odd with 3 laps and the Navy recruits getting in the way. Well there are 2 more runners now on the peninsula

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