Leo Austin Memorial CATS Half-Marathon

"In just--
spring when the world is mud--
luscious...
when the world is puddle wonderful"
~e.e. cummings

Run: 13.1 miles in 1:35:00-ish min. @ 9:00 a.m.

Scheduled Key Run Workout #3: 13 miles @ mile pace + 15 seconds
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 28°F, 39% Humidity, Wind: N @ 7 mph; feels like 21°F.
Course: "Course considered 'challenging' due to constant rolling hills, starts and finishes on Douglas Road near the Beach Parking Lot of Mendon Ponds Park. The course is all paved roads in the park (5+ miles total) and neighboring roads (about 8 miles total)." (from a post on Rochester Running Page.)
Pace: 7:15 min./mi

Pre-Run Observations: In a rare alignment, both the distances for my scheduled Key Workout Run #3 and the race I have registered for today, are roughly equivalent--both are 13 miles in length. The difference, of course, is in the pace with each are accomplished. So how should I handle this?

Should I "run" the race as if it is the cumulative experience following weeks of planning (which it is not)? Or, should I pace myself as suggested by the plan, and come to terms with the recognition that this morning's run is just a small step towards a larger picture of success--the Buffalo Marathon in May?

These very questions are the focus of a local running discussion board and, I would reckon, a pretty normal quandary for recreational runners to find themselves in.

Post-Race Reflections: Following my own advice, I decided to run easier than normal for a race and began at a leisurely pace, then slowly picked it up for the middle eight, finally settling into a pretty comfortable pace reserving very little for a kick... which given the nature of the run was not really necessary anyway!

The weather was perfect and the scenery was lovely, especially given the numerous birds and deer which were on display along the course. The turnout was fairly small but there were just enough folks running roughly my pace whom I could accompany around Mendon Ponds Park. As is often the case for me, I felt very psychologically together for much of the race, losing focus and from only briefly at the tale end of the run... a mistake I hope to avoid as I continue to train for the marathon in May.

As an aside, the white sweatshirts which were given out today, had the logo above on the front and the e.e. cummings poem at the top of the post on the back... beautiful! It has become more and more rare that I really look forward to wearing the race shirts I am given (along with the race timing and occassional grub) for my registration fee.

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