This was a last second choice for me. My goal race is the Eugene Half in April and the Phoenix Half in a couple of weeks is a major one on the schedule. My planned workout for the day was 18 with last 8 at 5:45 which I knew would be a tough one. I decided last minute to email the race director for the Lost Dutchman Half and ask for an comped entry which was $100. He very generously said yes so I decided to do my workout in the race where there would be competition and water stops. Perfect. When I told my coach what I was planning he actually told me to go for 5:45s and then pick it up at the end which was more aggressive but I was fine with it. I didn't look at my watch much during the race and went off effort as much as I could. I ended up in third for most of the first half and I felt like I was giving a pretty decent effort but holding back just a little. Most of my splits were between 5:40 and 5:55 depending on the terrain. The course had no major hills but was very rolling and always changing. I thought it was kind of a tough course (I live in extremely flat area). Anyway at the turnaround I turned my effort level up a notch and started to close on the top two. On the long incline in the 10th mile I was about to catch the top guy but I was starting to wonder if I would have enough left to race him to the finish. We ran a couple of miles together trading a few surges before I finally was clear of him for good with just over a mile to go. I ended up getting a nice boost of energy and was able to close in 5:20, 5:24 over the last two miles. The highlight of the race for me was seeing my wife and kids going around the last turn and getting to see them as I was coming in for the win. My daughter says I always get second so it was nice to win one! This turned out to be more of a race effort than I was hoping but I'm happy with the way it played out. I was not tapered at all (workout yesterday and a big mileage week for me) so I was happy with it. Also, the course was challenging and I think I should be able to take a nice chunk of time off at the Phoenix Half in a couple weeks. I cooled down with the second place guy afterwards and we got to talking and his brother is Andrew Wheating who is one of the US's top 800/1500 guys. I thought that was pretty interesting. He is a triathlete just getting into it and that was his first non triathlon half marathon. He was 1:15:40 which I thought was pretty impressive. All in all good day. Always nice to win a race. | 