I am sore today. I have not felt as bad after a race as I did after this one in a long time. I think a combination of the altitude and having a cold took its toll. I ran well for the first 14 miles or so but I knew it wasn't my day well before then, but I went out hoping I could run through it. The stomach cramps started around the halfway point and once that started, my goal changed to just finishing below 5 hours, which I did....4:55:57. The course was beautiful. It followed the Poudre River down the canyon and into Fort Collins. It was downhill and a bit steeper than I expected and I just knew the quads would be screaming later in the race.
....about mile 3
I hit the 1/2 at about 2:04, but I felt like I had already run much further than that. I spent the last 10 or 11 miles in run/walk mode.
Fort Collins is a college town (Colorado State), a lot like Lawrence. They even have a street that looks much like Mass Street. It is also the home of O'Dell and New Belgium breweries. Kim, Steve, Steff and I went there for a self-tour and some of us did a little sampling also.
Overall, it was good marathon, but I don't think it is one I would come back to do. I think the altitude had more of an effect on me than I expected and this one started pretty high in the canyon. Next up....Wyoming which is less than an hour away from this one, and supposedly much tougher.....
2 comments:
Congratulations Doug for sucking it up and running through it! Running downhill is a hell of a lot harder than what people think - You made it under 5:00 and in the altitude that you aren't acclimated to - that is an awesome job.
Doug, I had the same type problems in Idaho last year. A great job nonetheless. I love Ft Collins, will have to put this race on my list.
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