Moab .5

Because I KNOW you are just shitting yourselves wanting to know how the Moab Half Marathon went for me last Saturday, here's a quick rundown.

I was 27 seconds slower than last year. So much for the magical, cumulative effects of training.

But Wifey was 14 minutes faster than last year. That is great.

Once again we stayed in style and unmatched comfort with great friends. We ate wonderful food and laughed out loud. I might have enjoyed a few too many gintonics, too. "Hey girlfriends! Moab Marathon! No boys! You'll do great sweetie!"

The start was cold, again, they all are. But this one was coldest, yet. Still, the skies were as blue as they get with nary a cloud to be found.

If there is a bright side to my time to be spotted, it's that I actually followed my pacing strategy of 145-150 bpm, with the option to go as high as 155 or longer on steeper climbs, until I got to the bridge and then would uncork and run as fast as I could, which was right at my threshold of about 170. My new feed plan worked well also. A banana and some pbh on wheat bread pre race, followed be gel as needed. I ate four gels. I needed them. I had zero stomach issues before or after. Could have been the slower pace, or it could have just been that I found something that will work for me.

Now, I'd planned on comparing the data compiled with my Garmin 305 to last years' race. However, the little piece of shit didn't do any mapping so all I have is time, pace, and average and max heart rate to go off of. I'm pissed. The ability to compare data is one of the reasons I bought the damn thing. Rather than chuck the thing against the wall, I'll compare what I have.
- avg. pace: 8:34 min/mile
- avg. speed: 7 mph
- max speed 2009: 14.1 mph
2010: 10.0 mph
- avg. heart rate 2009: 156 bpm
2010: 153 bpm
- max heart rate 2009: 177 bpm
2010: 171 bpm

Clearly I worked less this year. Had I ran at the frantic pace that I ran last year, I likely would have bettered my time. That is why I wanted the mapping data, I could have compared the heart rate graphs between years. I know this years' graph would not have resembled quite the sawtooth of 2009.

But enough of that. I also had a great ride up Amasa Back, which I hadn't ridden in years.

And now it is time to get after training again. The Ogden Half is coming up, as is the mtb race season and maybe a triathlon. Who knows?