The race today was awesome.  It was cold, but the sun was shining, and there were thousands of people running with me.  The pack never really seemed to thin out the way I have experienced in other races.  It’s amazing to think that I ran the entire 30 km distance at a faster pace than my first 5K last June.   Going into the run, my target pace was 6:00/km.  I realized about 5 km in that there was no way I was going to hold myself back, so I just hoped that the hills in the back half weren’t as bad as I feared.  They weren’t, although there were a couple of doozies. I ran the last 200 m or so close to 4:00/km, and my heart rate was apparently 212 bpm!

What I gained: Experience running farther than I ever have before.  Blisters on both my feet.  Chafing in areas that I’d rather not talk about.  A new heart rate zone.

What I lost: My fear of running this far.  About 2100 calories. A toenail.  

The best part: A “pat on the back” from my son at the end.