Oak Tree 1/2 Marathon

Run: 13.1 miles in 1:36:02 min. @ 9:00 a.m.

Weather Report: Cloudy, 56°F, 97% Humidity, Winds: ENE @ 4 mph; feels like 56°F.

As I hoped for yesterday, the weather this morning for the Oak Tree 1/2 Marathon was remarkably similiar to yesterday: very fall-like and damp. I had set the goal of improving on last year's time of 1:37:05, and while achieving the spirit of the goal, I failed knock the 7+ minutes off. As I feared, it was probably too ambitious a goal. My time was improved, though, as I finished with an (unofficial) time of... 1:36:02. So, while I did earn a PR in the distance, it was not what I had hoped.

I am also a little discouraged by what I expect my final place in the run will likely be. As of this writing, the "places" haven't been posted, but I do know that I was caught and passed by four runners in the last two miles, due primarily, to my poor performance during the final two large inclines. I generally set myself up for a run during which I won't be passed--this is to say that I hang back a little so that I am in the position of passing others rather than being passed myself. That was unfortunately not the case today.

I feel at something of a crossroads in my training and am unsure to what level I am willing to sacrifice in order to show continued improvement. While driving home, Anne and I brainstormed some strategies that could help, and we came up with all things that are not really that attractive to me (translation--they are not things I feel I'm "good" at): swimming, core work, and weight lifting.

It's certainly time for me to make a decision as to where to go from here...

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!