Derry 16 miler

With 85’s to go…..I’d dare say I am on track and hope this email doesn’t jinx it either!

This past weekend Drew and I ventured to Derry, NH to brave the Boston Primer 16 Miler…a legendary race known for tough hills that will cause folks in the top 20 to walk and brutal weather. I am glad to say I did not walk and the weather was reasonable for end of January.

No warm up at all…other than some simple striders/jogs at the beginning. I was wearing the full attire…gloves, hat and sporthills…while others opted for shorts and long sleeves. The gun went off and Drew immediately had a 3 step lead on me and carried it on through to the end. I on the other than took it easy through the 1st mile @ a snail pace of 7:20…but somehow ran a 2 mile split of 13 and change…..I took full water/Gatorade at all stops except the last one…taking the time to walk and drink in all the fluids and reset myself. The hills burned…but as I said earlier they didn’t cause me to walk as this was just a training run (hence the running through the hills and taking in water via walking). Through the half I was 1:27:14 which is 6:40…and somehow amazingly ran slightly faster for the last 2.9 to finish with a time of 1:46:21 with an overall avg of 6:39/mile for the entire run.
http://www.coolrunning.com/results/10/nh/Jan24_15thAn_set1.shtml
Good to come of the race:
• Legs held up throughout the entire race with no cramps/pains/discomforts
• Post Race and Next Morning…still feel good so I don’t think the race/run did me in!
• I did this on a 60 mile week the previous week and a 56 mile week this week…2 of my longest weeks in years!
• I still have 85 days to go!
Bad to come of the race:
• Drew got me by 3 1/2 minutes…I still have some work ahead of me!
• I wish I had held on stronger at the end and not let some of the guys go.
• Could I have held on for another 10 at this pace…not likely…but then again the hills on this course are far tougher than Boston.
Guess that’s it for now!
Next up…Hyannis ½ on the 28th of Feb which will be at the 50 day mark!