The IU Alumni Mini Marathon was my toughest race yet. While temperatures were perfect for this grueling race, a fast start on a hilly course overcomes even the most prepared of runners. To a point, I fell into that category. Positive splits provide more than enough evidence I failed to pay attention to the elevation posted on the course website. I have never ran a hill after hill race where I found catching my breath and taking a shot of Powerade from my fuel belt tough - until Saturday morning. I will attest to this race being mostly uphill.
Although my finish time and place in the field were baffling, I was satisfied to finish and make it through such a difficult course. Here is a breakdown of my race:
Miles 1-3: The start of the race was directly in front of IU's Alumni Hall. I questioned where the start line was until I saw the marking on the ground. I was ready to go.... The start was downhill, then uphill, then down a steep hill; a microcosm of the remainder of the race. There was some nice sights as we weaved through the IU campus. I managed to maintained a 7 minute mile pace through the first three miles. I knew this was a hilly course, so I was a little scared of the quick start.
Miles 4-6: After climbing a consistent incline, runners were rewarded with a mile long decline. My pace reflected the uphill in mile 4, slowing to a 7:16 pace, and the downhill in mile 5, when I quickened to a 6:58 pace. This is where I really started to feel the hills, reflected in a consistently declining pace over the remainder of the race. I started to manage my stride, slow my pace, and set a goal to get to the finish.
Miles 7-10: All I can say is brutal. How a person manages a 5:30-6 minute mile pace in this race I will never know, but kudos to them. Up and down, up and down and then to mile 9, an uphill climb where I would swear I was running in slow motion. Getting to the top was an enormous challenge I overcame, and was really proud of. The negative part was that hill resulted in a 7:30 pace the rest of the race.
Miles 11-13.1: Never think the hills are behind you in this race, because they are not. After some more up and down and up and down, came the stretch between miles 12 and 13. I am all about a challenge, but this one was more than that. I knew the area and where the finish was stationed, and I knew there was a daunting hill ahead. I utilized the Powerade from my fuel belt and kept an extreme focus to the finish.
The last tenth of a mile I will call "the light" and I could see it! Like gold at the end of a rainbow, there the finish line sat just waiting for me to cross. I did, and I was so relieved, at a pace of 6:44/mi in that last stretch. I took a bottle of water, received my finisher's, found a grassy area and collapsed.
Here are my official results in the 2011 IU Alumni Mini Marathon:
Bib Number: 458
Overall Place: 46 of 752
Division Place: 8 of 61
Overall Time: 1:34:43
Overall Pace: 7:14/mi
Thank you to the organizers that did a terrific job mapping out the course. I have never participated in a race where my Garmin's distance and time matched exactly to the results posted. There were a few times where I looked up and cars were coming at me, so traffic control was average. Water stops had great support and they let you know where the water and Powerade were, not to mention they were well-placed. Scenery was beautiful and the route was an above-average challenge. Overall, the volunteers and the organizers have a great race going in B-Town!
For me, these races where I feel the worst pain and think the most negative thoughts are the races I favor and remember the most. Yes, the IU Mini was hilly (an understatement) and yes, the race was grueling and strenuous, but I overcame all of that. I withstood the hills, no matter the degree of incline and I endured the pain and resistance to stop and rest. In the words of Forrest Gump, "I was running!" I told my wife, "That was like putting myself through torture!" But I survived, and I will be more confident in my next race, the Kentucky Derby Mini Marathon. Though a new route is in place in Louisville's premier distance race, I expect a good time.
HAPPY RUNNING!!!!!
http://www.jamesrunsthenation.blogspot.com/
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