Middlebury Maple Run

Sunday, May 1, 2011

I put more pressure on myself this year to turn in a good performance in the 3rd annual Middlebury Maple Run Half Marathon.  At the very least I wanted to best my last year's finish of 1:32:43 and hopefully crack the 1:30:00 threshold as I prepare to run in my first organized road marathon later in May.  I didn't exactly taper for the run, but I took it easy in my last few runs leading up to the half, hoping to give myself some advantage.

On race day I had some chest congestion and I was concerned about my ability to breath efficiently.  It was a non-typical spring day in New England, starting with a frost and becoming a brilliantly sunny, blue-sky, calm day that reached 70 degrees.  This year the field was over 800 participants, including the 2-stage relay runners.

I enjoyed the start of the race and hearing the sound of hundreds of feet striking the pavement as we cruised toward the center of town.  In the early going I was surprised at how fast I was running and after two miles I made and effort to slow myself from the 6:38 pace I was keeping.  The race became more of an effort for me as I made my way south on Sheep Farm Road, occasionally stealing glances at the surrounding scenery and distant mountains.  Past the college I tried to be efficient at the aid stations, throwing back the water in one gulp and trying not to lose a step.  Finally I had the out and back remaining on South Street, a stretch I run to excess in the wintertime, and I felt like I really had to push to keep my pace.  With Porter Hospital and the finish only about a mile away I tried to push harder, but felt like my breathing was maxed-out.

I finished in 1:29:56, achieving my goal with a 6:52/mile average, good for 29th place overall, and 5th in my division. Results posted here.  As it turned out, my slowest mile was a 7:01, so it seems that I was able to keep a more steady pace than I imagined as I was actually running.  Still, with only a month remaining before the marathon, I need to get back to the track for more speed workouts...