"PRIOR PREPARATION PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE"

It was just a really neat day at the Provo River Trail 1/2 Marathon. The race started right on time: 7:am. I can't believe it, Crazy Curt downsized the race and he made it one of his the best organized races. ( out of the 14 of his I've run)

I pulled into the parking lot of the Riverwoods Shopping complex at about 4:30 am and went over to the tables where Curt had out race bibs set out and ready to go. Shortly after that the busses started arriving, filling up and departing for the ride up the canyon.

Once up the canyon and to the usual starting area we departed the bus and walked out into some chilly but very pleasing tempratures, that was at about 5:30am. There were plenty of Temples of Doom with a very short wait.

We hung around, like there was somewhere else to go, getting in our last minute race preps in and then about 6:45 am the crowd started moving to the tiny two lane blacktop behind Curts truck. At 7:am sharp we could hear Curt yell out "Go" as he jumped in his truck and headed down the trail to set out the mile markers.

At mile three there was a water table off the side of the road with lots of cups of water for the runners but no attendants passing them out, I skipped this water station.

Well, I was into this run 3 miles and my foot was being well behaved. Little or no pain or discomfort. So I continued. I set my pace for around 8 minute miles and continued to cook 'em off one by one. My best mile was a 7.37 and my slowest was an 8.49 where you had to run up the hill to the hair pin turn and return to run under the highway. Overall pace, 8.07 per mile. I saw Marcie as she was coming down the hair pin hill as I was going up.
My mile slpits:
1. 7.58
2. 8.03
3. 7.52
4. 7.37
5. 7.47
6. 7.37
7. 7.58
8. 8.48
9. 8.12
10. 8.05
11. 8.19
12. 8.25
13. 8.05
.1. 1.19
TOT. 1:45:14

I just settled into my run and focused on the finish line trying to not become distracted and slow my pace. I t was a really nice day at the best organized Provo 1/2 mary Curt has ever put on.

I finished with my favorite little cigar leading the way with a 1:45:14 and a first place in my old mans (60-64) age group. Not too bad for running on a foot with three stress fractures in it. I'll bet that if the foot was 100% I could have easily whacked a minute per mile off this pace. But, I stayed within my race plan and have saved the equipment for next weekends full Park City Marathon.........

At the end of the race Curt met me and gave me a laser engraved wooden key fob keepsake. There was plenty to drink, with watermellon and cantalope and a pancake breakfast .. It was a really great day!

Now its time to look towards the PCM, next Saturday! I have great confidence that I am following the right course of treatment to get my foot back to 100%.

"PRIOR PREPARATION PREVENTS PISS POOR PERFORMANCE"

Provo 1/2 Marathon