GOLDEN GATE TRAIL RACE - HALF MARATHON
(FEB 11 - Sausalito, CA)
The day started under a cloudy and rainy sky to mark my first race in 2012. I was scheduled to race a 5km in Phoenix. I had flown the day before and got sick… During the 2 weeks leading to the Golden Gate Trail Race, I coached in a cycling camp in Phoenix, gave an ITU performance coaching course in Subic Bay, Philippines the following week, and gave a few running and triathlon clinics during the week leading to the race. I had to focus on my run in order to maintain some type of continuity and maintaining fitness. Most of my workouts were short and with some good speed sessions.
The morning of the race, I was getting nervous with the weather which was in the low 40s… I certainly did not appreciate the fact it rained knowing the course would be wet, muddy, and slippery. I knew little about the course. Only what was posted on the website… UP down UP down… turn… up DOWN
On the starting line, I kept on looking around at the 200 participants… Who will be the target… What will be their tactics… How hard will I be able to go on a course where the course record was 1h48 given the topography? And How will I handle racing (last race end October)?
Goal was easy: RUN HARD! I took the lead right off the start… Thinking about not to go hard (my GAR$#&watch was down again! Borrowed one) and focus on running downhill!
The scenery was spectacular. My motivation was to beat the course record. I felt in control during the whole race. Running uphill @ 8:45min/mi and downhill at 4:50min/mi. I felt like I was 10 again; running in the hills behind the house. It was the greatest felling ever! Back to performance, knowing that at 9mi I was close to 1hr. I know I was going to finish strong. I never thought I would beat the course record by 19 min!
I crossed the finish line in 1:29:yy establishing a new course record with my new INOV8!
Next race March 24 in Phoenix, AZ…
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