The Fun Begins....

I've forgotten how hard it is to keep a fast pace over an extended period of time. Here is my pace of the race:
Way too fast at the beginning?

I am going to make an excuse here and say that the crowd was really pushy. I was around smaller and what appeared to be slower runners that were really pushing me around. I thought these people are just going out way too fast. For a split second I remembered the wrong thing. The first km in other races usually set up the finishing positions. Then I sped up to get into position and show these people that I am not to be pushed around. Oops... At the corner before a downhill portion, I saw Ken pass me. I knew then that I was going too fast for sure. I felt OK though, the legs were moving fast, the breathing was not yet heavy. Then, I was neck and neck with someone who I've always wanted to either beat or just race with. We were going down the final stretches of the downhill portion, about 480m of downhill in total, and entering into the park path. I passed him to get around some slower people and then he gave this burst of speed that I tried to keep with. I just couldn't match it. I tried to keep close to him. Some other people passed me and I lost it. At about the half way point, the race was an out and back, I started to have trouble with my stride. I could no longer keep it fast and short. I would slow down and realize it, try to pick it back up a little and couldn't keep it for long. A few people passed me up the hill on the way back, then I turned the corner for the final flat stretch to the finish line (about 250m). I ran faster, but I just couldn't dig deep. I may have passed one or 2 and one or 2 passed me. I was breathing very heavy and feeling faint at the finish line.


Then I look at this (in mile pace) my last 250m was fast. Could I have tried a little harder from the half way point? I hate second guessing myself like this.

My official time was 19:29. Not bad considering that last year I ran it 20:31 with more preparation. I.e. No injury recovery period.

Was it above my lactate threshold at the beginning and I was doomed from then on? Would I have run a better time if I would have run a 3:35 or 3:40 /km at the start? Could this be an indication of where I could get to? Could I get to sub 18 by September?

I think it is best to continue with the remaining 6 weeks of my training plan. At the end of that period I need to figure out a goal to set. When, where and at what distance. The fall season is fast approaching and I can't fit a full 24 week period of training in before any of those races. Around the Bay 30k could be it. Those are my thoughts for now.