_Cowtown goal (as of 2019 Xmas)
target A: 4:48; 9:18 pace for course PR.
target B: 5 hr moving time + bathroom & beer shots. 5:10:00 finish.
target C: 5:30: full burger at mile 27. 5 additional minutes for each can of beer.
_logistics
Pre-race: big lunch pizza was good. Forced noodle dinner was too much. I felt bloated after just 1 gel.
Altra Escalante turned out a good decision for 2020. 2019 I wore One v2: too little cushion for my fitness. It’s hard to accept the plantar fascia was still angry 16 months after the fateful 10k race.
_faster than planned start—never a good sign
I stayed with 3:55 marathon pacer for 7 miles before hiding behind a tall stranger from the wind. The big dude slowed to 11 min/mile pace for the climb—perfect for me. I ran by feel. I was surprised how few people passed me on the hill.
_miscalculation
I reached half marathon line with clock showing 2:02—exact pace I wanted, failing to notice the chip time was 5.5 minutes quicker. The damage was done by the time I realized my mistake. I went into denial and grew hopeful I’d hold sub-9 for entire 50k.
_outsource pacing to pacers
Cara and Danielle were solid at 8:55 pace. I turned my brain off and follow them. I was lucky to have help. I wished they were larger windshields.
The legs wanted to go faster. The brain knew better.
Weather turned nice. Beautiful sunshine. Everyone was encouraging. I skipped beers and gel; GI didn’t feel great. I missed 2014 fitness. I was more hopeful about life in 2014 in general. I thought about eating the durian with Celine in Montreal.
_weakening
Inevitably, legs didn’t feel great when marathon pacers and I parted ways at mile 25. Shaheen smiled and waved to me; she’s only 4 miles ahead; this gave me hope. I hanged on to Oprah pace, reaching 26.2 in 3:55. Then muscles refused to fire. They were doing so well just 3 miles ago.
_disappointment
A simple decision: "do I fight to hold 11 min/mile, or do I save the legs to shorten recovery." I wanted to do well at Hachie 50k. Giving up 5 minutes means little for Cowtown at this point.
This was the right condition to finally stop for burger after years of telling the cook "next year". I thought of what to say to express my gratitude. The grill guy ain't there. 花開堪折直須折，莫待無花空折枝. My heart sank.
I walked the hills. 7 runners passed me before finish line--difficult to swallow.
_#’s
Rank:46th, 3rd in age group
4:52:55
Pace:9:25/M
5K Rank:59
5K:27:37
5K Pace:8:51/M
10K Rank:53
10K:54:59
10K Pace:8:49/M
15K Rank:52
15K:1:22:38
15K Pace:8:50/M
13.1M Rank:50
13.1M:1:56:17
13.1M Pace:8:50/M
30K Rank:45
30K:2:45:56
30K Pace:8:54/M
23M Rank:41
23M:3:25:31
23M Pace:8:55/M
26.2M Rank:39
26.2M:3:54:52
26.2M Pace:8:57/M
Javier and Shaheen each won 3rd overall in gender.
_feeling down
I was pleased with finish time but disappointed by the final 5 miles. I was disappointed Irving friends weren’t running. I felt helpless against Coronavirus.
A thoughtless act put me in a world of hurt for past 3 weeks. I was unable to put it out of my mind. I was angry I let it pollute the morning. I desperately tried shifting to celebration mode: “Dude, there ain’t that many sub-5-hour 50k left in your legs. Cheer up!”
_Surprises
After swallowing vegi soup and ice cream, I felt resigned and went through the motion of visiting Kimbell. An impossibly elegant young girl behind the gift shop counter smiled at me. I recalled friends who looked that way decades ago. Humans don’t age gracefully. “What’s with you geeks' fascination with long straight hair?” I tried to recall the year I was last asked that question.
A few walls later, I saw the unfamiliar Monet on loan.
My mood changed. I recalled the emotion first time I heard “未來的街頭" in Firebird on Interstate 95. Things turned out differently than I anticipated 3 decades ago. “van Gogh Cezanne Picasso” I went to the paintings in the order in the song, thinking of how Monet handled Paris Salon’s rejection.
A day after race, tornado came to Tennessee
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