Ragnar Day 2. Leg 28 was my last. This is the leg that descends from Jordanelle to Midway. 941 feet down and most of it in the first 2.5 miles. I wanted to go out fast but I didn't warm up much. I think there was also some cumulative fatigue setting in with the 3 hours of sleep and the most I've ever run in a week through Saturday (83.5 miles from June 15-June 21!). First splits were 5:49 and 5:22. Then, about 2.8 miles into the run, I hit a dead stop at the major intersection with the 40. I had to wait 60-90 seconds for the light to change while I just stood there. Major momentum killer. I still managed mile 3 in 5:41 due to some fast running earlier in the mile. Then 6:40 avg for the remaining miles which was equivalent to my flattish pace from the night before. 36:58 total not counting the wait at the stoplight. Probably 20 seconds longer since I didn't start my watch right away. The team finished in just under 30 hours. Allie said it best a year ago and I echo her sentiments fully: although i had a lot of fun, i don't think this is really my thing. it's just not smart for me to do this. i felt vulnerable to injury the whole time, and i'm not a big fan of the overnight sleeplessness and messed up nutrition During the downhill dash, my right hamstring was a little tight. It can be early in a run early in the day, but it lingered longer and some groin pain eventually accompanied it. I was just praying not to get hurt much of the time. All that being said, I am kind of interested in doing an ultra where I have time expectations and we are gunning for a competitive finish. A big thanks to James for inviting me and introducing me to some of his friends and family. They are a great bunch all around. I particularly enjoyed reviewing Constitutional Law questions for his upcoming bar exam. Total racing time: 2:27:25. Total Distance: 22.1. Avg pace: 6:40. That's slightly below marathon pace. I felt like I was running fast, but never pushing the pace. If I was to average a 10-k pace, I obviously didn't come close.
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