Now that I am writing this, I realize there is not much to say about this race. I led from start to finish, fighting the wind on my own every step of the way on the first half of the out-and-back course. The course was pretty flat and has the potential to be fairly fast on a less windy day. I settled into a comfortable 6 minute per mile pace and just went with it. At no point did I feel like I was struggling or working too hard. Which is good. That means my threshold fitness is coming around. That will be beneficial for some ultras this summer and maybe a marathon this fall.
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| Somewhere around mile 8? |
The second half of the race was much easier with a tailwind. I finished in 1:20:11, which beat second place by just a hair under 10 minutes. I thought, "Idaho has some faster folks somewhere, right?" Looking at the results from The Race to Robie Creek, I think I found them.
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| Bringing home the bacon. |
I also get the impression that, while I know there is a strong outdoor and running culture in Boise, it's not on the level of that which exists along the Front Range. 1:20 ain't winning shit in Colorado. That said, I can't wait to get up there and become a part of it.
While it wasn't the most inspired course, and the weather wasn't great, which can't be helped, it was a well-organized race and they sure gave me a helluva lot of swag for not running all that fast. My main prize was a free pair of Pearl Izumi shoes. I went to Shu's Idaho Running to claim my prize in the form of some Trail N1s which I am thoroughly digging thus far.
I hate to speak of times my feet can't run, but I think on a day with no wind and some fast dudes, I can run a 75, maybe 74-minute half right now. And something about the half intrigues me. I think it could potentially be a very good racing distance for me. A nice combination of endurance and speed.
But, first things first. Bighorn is looming on the horizon. I have been stepping up the mileage and incorporating workouts lifted from Jack Daniels. I am combining one or two of his marathon training workouts a week with Towers every other Thursday and a renewed focus on those pesky long runs on either Saturday or Sunday. Those runs are, from now on, all on dirt and hopefully include some climbing. Last week's 15-miler was up and down Pilot Hill. I may do the same thing this weekend. Or head south and get into the Quad Rock course.
I did boycott the last two days because the weather was nothing short of bullshit. Rain, snow, colder temps, and the wind. My god, the wind. I am not running in that anymore. The result is that my planned 70 mile week just turned into a 50-55 mile week. That's okay, because I had already gone up the previous two weeks (hitting 60 last week). I was probably getting ready to make the mistake of trying to go up in mileage three weeks in a row. I already know from years of experience that I don't handle that well. So I will go up next week and the following week, in which I am gunning for 80. I haven't touched 80 in nearly eight years. After that, it's a matter of maintaining for a week or two before tapering for Bighorn.
Also, I think the gauntlet may be thrown down at Pilot Hill this year. Chris is in great shape. He destroyed Towers last week. I climb like dog doo, but I think another month of miles will put me in a pretty good position. And there's always the boys from down south. They are tough as coffin nails on that course.
March 3-9: 42 miles
March 10-16: 45 miles
March 17-23: 42 miles
March 24-30: 52 miles
March 31-April 6: 52 miles
April 7-13: 44 miles
April 14-20: 54 miles
April 21-27: 60 miles
March Miles: 200
April Miles: 208
Year to Date: 684 (as of April 30)
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