First race of the season and my first in 5 months. It was a good indicator.
Got up at 3:45 to meet Fritz at 4:40 in Sugarhouse. We got our numbers and got to the starting line by 6:30. ~2 mile warm up with Fritz, Riley and Dave. It was around 35 degrees at the start. Chilly but we knew it would get warm when the sun hit.
I ran the first 2 miles with Riley, trailing Fritz and an unknown (5:20, 5:24). After 2 Riley picked it up a bit and I followed for a couple miles (5:11, 5:14). We passed Fritz and the other guy around 2. I expected Fritz to join the party but found out later he wasn't feeling well. The next 4 miles were uneventful. I slowly watched Riley pull away but I was feeling fine and didn't want to push it knowing the last 5 would be rolling hills (5:19, 5:15, 5:18, 5:26).
After 8 miles they made us get off the road and onto a paved trail. It was constant rolling hills, short and steep, for the next 4 miles. The rollers chewed me up and spit me out. (5:30, 5:30, 5:40, 5:33). Last 1/2 mile was flat and I was able to get back to pace but I was pretty beat (5:34, :41).
I Cooled down for 3 with Riley, Fritz and Dave on some trails around the lake and then another 3 with just Fritz and I.
Riley and Dave had good come back races. On a good day, Fritz could have run the race twice at the pace I ran it once...he'll be deadly with a good taper come Boston.
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