Doing the splits!

Not the actual, physical kind of splits, although I was just talking about that with my coworkers on Monday.  Maybe that should be my next goal, be able to do the splits by age 50.  Or maybe not.

My coworker printed out my splits page from the marathon site, all with a smiley face and everything.  Here's how I did throughout the race.

I am in the 35 to 39 division, and came in 178 out of 180.  Not last! 

Out of 1,081 females I was 1,057.  Again, not last!

There were 2,333 finishers; I was 2,296 overall.  Thirty-seven whole people finished after me. 

My 10K (6.2 miles) split was 1:27:11.  I was a little disappointed in that until I did the math more closely.  I average around 40 minutes for a 5K, so 1:20 would be good for 10K.  I walked through the water stations and had at least one bathroom stop in the first 10K.  Overall, I think 1:27:11 was pretty good, considering I've still got 30K more to go.

My half split was 3:04:41, which was almost exactly what I did at Race for the Roses.  Again, walking through water and banana stops, two bathroom breaks by that point.  I remember the big hill at Eugene and that I ran up it at a good clip.  It must be on the down side of that hill where I logged my fastest mile time, just under an eight minute mile.  That was probably only for about 30 seconds, but still:  eight minute mile!

At 30K (18.64 miles) I was at 4:38:48.  This is where I started to dream that I could finish in under six hours.  I believed until mile 23, where I realized under six hours wasn't going to be possible, although I still hoped for 6:10, maybe 6:15. 

My last 12K (7.46 miles) took 1:47:55.  Again, I was disappointed in this until I did the math.  I'm at an 11:00 minute mile on a good day, all fresh legs and body and whatever.  The last 12K was 2.46 miles longer than the first 10K and took 20 minutes more.  That's pretty good, considering it was at the END OF THE MARATHON. 

Final official time was 6:26:43.  Average time for everyone else was 4:10:29.  I'm good with that.

By the way, I didn't mean to sound all bitter about how the race shut down earlier, etc.  I am bitter, but I didn't mean to sound that way ;)  But seriously, while I find it disappointing that that happens, I am not going to let it take away from what I accomplished.  I am a marathoner!!  Polka will never die!!

And in another by the way, the fact that I can keep going at a fairly consistent pace for over six hours has made me wonder if perhaps I might be better suited for another type of race.

You know, like an ultra.

DUN DUN DUN!!!

Cheers,
the CilleyGirl