What a great day! If anyone has a chance to run a relay I would highly recommend it! My wife and I really only knew one other member of our team but after sharing a van with six other people after running you get to know the others really quickly!
We got a poor starting time of 9:20 a.m. This was the second to last wave start and it was also when they started all of the elite teams, which we were no where near an elite team... We got past by first and second place within our first two runners even with a twenty minute head start!
I was our third runner and when I got the chip I knew there were still some fast runners behind me. My goal was to not get caught in this first stage. Well that lasted all of 3 minutes, but that may have been ok because I then had someone to run with. We both got passed by one other runner but we had passed 5 or so already so I was still +3 for my stage. A little side cramping but having that other runner there kept me focused and able to run through it. Decent first run stayed comfortable and relaxed did not throw hammer down or anything (6:30 pace, 4.2 miles)
Emaurine's first run was the potential highlight of the day. Not feeling well this week she came in to the race not knowing what to expect. This was the hilliest of the course, 5.1 miles and she was telling the team not to expect faster than 9 minute miles, well she ran 7:52 miles and passed over 6 teams, without getting passed!
My second run was my toughest 5.5 miles with hills and straight into the wind. The 10k prediction tool that the organizers use too stage the event had me at averaging 6:45 miles so I wanted to keep close to that if nothing else. This time I knew I had noone behind me that was going to catch me, but there was a shirtles runner who started about 3-4 minutes ahead of me that I wanted to challenge myself to catch. I was constantly gaining until we got to the hills. Then I started cramping and dry heaving. I did not lose any ground to him. I thought the stage ended right after the only bridge we pass so I sprinted the length of the bridge and got within 35 seconds of him only to realize there was still over a half mile left in the stage. Ended up missing him by ten seconds and ran 6:45 pace, which I am not too unhappy about with how I was feeling. (also +4 teams on this stage so now +7 for my stages)
The new highlight of the day was emaurine's second run 3.9 miles at 7:26 pace!! She is just unstoppable!!
Last run side stitch before I even start, now knowing what to expect 4.2 miles of limestone trail so I am thinking I can really go after it but I am not even a quarter mile in before I know this is not going to be nearly as good as I want. Ended up starting about a minute behind "green shirt guy" almost caught him fairly early just to have my side splitting in pain! So I backed off a little bit let him wander ahead just briefly, but then we had to cross a major highway and I had to stop and he didn't! Now I am over forty seconds behind with roughly a mile left to go! So I dry heaved a little after stopping (I guess my body wanted to be done) and then set off to catch green shirt guy. At the very end I sprinted to only lose to him by a second or two but I was still a little upset I didnt quite catch him. However after the major highway there was a line of teams for me to pass so I did catch 15 other teams during this stage. total of +22 for me throughout my part of relay! (28 minutes 6:40 pace again not to upset with this with the way I was feeling)
Last highlight of the day. Emaurine's final stage 3 miles 22 minutes 7:20 pace just incredible!!!
When we got to the finish rumor had it that the team that finished closest to the predicted time from the relay officials got free entry into next years race. When we crossed we thought we were only three-four seconds off! A great chance to win! But the timing was not quite connected right and we were eventually told 6 seconds off our predicted time and another team was 3 seconds off...
Overall great experience 78.7 miles total 10:52:26 was our reported time or average of 8:17 pace. I averaged roguhly 6:38 pace total emaurine averaged 7:35 for 12 miles!!!
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