MORGAN VALLEY MARATHON
I signed up for this race earlier this week. I was trying to decide between this and Draper Days 5k. I could use the circuit points in the USATF LDR circuit with the 5k, but long-term this would be by far a better training stimulus. So I took the long-term approach and used this as a "practice" marathon. I did the same thing with this race in 2012 and I thought it was beneficial that year. My plan was to ease into it and try to run most of the second half under or at 6:00/mile pace. I figured 2:40 would be ideal for not running too fast to make my legs sore, yet fast enough to be a really good, quality long run in my training.
It was me out in the front the whole race. The course is a loop course at 5,100 elevation and it's soft rolling hills almost the whole way (20-40 foot rollers throughout). Nothing too eventful to report. I took about an ounce of water at each aide station and I took a Gu at mile 8 and a half Gu at mile 18. I had a pit stop during mile 10. Other than that it was just me and road on what was honestly kind of a lonely run.
1st half splits: 620 612 622 609 607 602 603 603 604 655 (pit stop) 553 557 551 for a 1:20:50 1st half
2nd half split: 553 552 554 549 551 550 556 556 558 553 547 555 147 (last .32 on garmin) 1:17:44 2nd half
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