2013: Oshkosh Half Marathon

April 21, 2013

1:21:19

Ha, I have to chuckle in reflection. I view my outcome a lot like Javier Gomez's ITU race yesterday in San Diego.  A few things didn't go my way.

1.  I've been struggling with some really tight gluts from doing some different biking sets this year.  Add in some long car travel, things were tight.  I had some ART done the day before the race, but it wasn't enough. My right gluteus medius grew into a minor ache as the race progressed.  At miles 7-8, the gluts on both side started to cramp and suddenly other minor player muscles like vastus lateralius and IT Band had to compensate to keep going.  The effort felt the same, but the pace was much slower. 

2.  It was cold.  I dressed in shorts, short sleeve shirt, visor and running gloves.  I should have ran in running pants and a long sleeve shirt.  I felt warm for the first 2 miles, but got a little chilled from there on.

3.  Trick ankle flared up.  Yup, that's the old injury that occurred 15 years ago while playing soccer.  In cold temperature and/or rainy day it aches.  Today it was a problem.  To compensate, I ran more on the mid-foot compensate. 

Splits:
1 - 5:53
2 - 5:55
3 - 5:56
4 - 6:03 (into wind)
5 - 5:57 (into wind)
6 - 6:07 (into wind)
7 - 6:06
8 - 6:04
9 - 6:22
10 - 6:17
11 - 6:35
12 - 6:34
13 - 6:23
.1 - 6:04

I'm going to brush it off and have a better outcome next time.  Take home points:  skip the weekly hard bike ride and take a salt tablet at mile 5.

Matt