My Strategy

Reviewing last year’s race: 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/96397343 

Split	Distance	Avg Pace	Avg HR	Max HR	Calories
1	1	9:28	148	160	118
2	1	10:14	148	155	120
3	1	10:36	150	157	120
4	1	11:10	152	155	119
5	1	11:24	151	168	111
Summary	5	10:34	150	168	588

Positive splits! Definitely would be an improvement to run this backwards. Look at these impossible HR numbers too! There are a few things I should note:

1. I had a sprint time trial the day earlier in Kingston (Limestone Mile) 
2. I ate greasy fish and chips before this race 
3. I might have drank a beer before this race 
4. It was very dusty and hot on race day 
5. Bib timing with a gun start (I hate Bib timing with gun starts)
6. I had to wear a kilt 

Recently, I ran the 3 miles at 9:47 … downhill/uphill/corners/turns. I need to be confident that this type of speed is possible over 5 miles. This race will have nearly the same elevation differences as the runs I have been running this past month. About 120 feet from low to high.


So my strategy is

1. From 0 mi to 1.75 mi it’s uphill about 60 feet. I’ll set myself the target of 10:34 (last year’s pace). This will keep me from racing with the bulls at the start, and give me a sufficient warm-up (landmark would be the second last corner when leaving town – where the fire trucks were spraying runners last year.)
2. From 1.75 mi to 2.4 mi it’s downhill about 67 feet. I’ll set myself the target pace of 9:47. It’s a short distance and it will give me a chance to interval a bit. (landmark – the end of the parking lot where the golf course starts.)
3. From 2.4 mi to 3.0 mi it’s bumpy uphill about 37 feet. I’ll set myself the target pace of 10:00. The idea is to slow down, take a breather (landmark – deep in the golf course about 5 minutes in.) 
4. From 3.0 mi to 3.5 mi it’s time to crank up the pace running downhill again at 9:47. (the last turn by the river on the golf course)
5. From 3.5 mi to about 4.8 mi it’s time to keep below 10:00 as best I can (just before the final turn home)
6. Sprint my ass off. 

Calculating this out: 10:30 (1.75 mi) + 9:45 (0.65 mi) + 10:00 (0.6 mi) + 9:45 (0.5 mi) + 10:00 (1.5 mi) + Sprint = 50:35 -> 10:07 pace.  At the 3.5 mile mark, I’ll make the decision as to how well I feel (there will be gravel and dust and only two water stops. They are saying that it will be humid and 83 degrees). If I feel awesome I will kick it up and run the last 1.5 miles as fast as I can, not being afraid to stop and take a breather, look ugly, look stupid. The idea is to pull out as much as I can from myself. I know that I can bring this pace down to under the 9:30 mark if this is the case.

There are a few things I should note:

1. No sprint time trial the day earlier 
2. No fish and chips before the run 
3. No beer before the run 
4. Bandanna ready to pull up over my mouth if I need to for the dust on the golf course trail
5. Bib timing with a gun start (maintain a calm attitude at this one) 
6. I have to wear a kilt (become a skirt chaser - nothing I can do about this)

Summary

Last year's race time: 52:52

This year's target: 50:35


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