I set a new PR tonight on the middle route. Legs were somewhat heavy all day and I debated taking a rest day, but decided to run anyways since it was nice and cool (and I had a pass to get out after work).
Started off feeling a bit sluggish and bogged down as expected (especially since I had filled up on a free pizza buffet that miraculously showed up at work) and I did not warm up at all until about the mile mark at the top of Gregory. I then started to feel marginally better on the short downhill/flat to the cabin (15:50 ish), arrived at the Greenman/Ranger jct. in 19:30, then Greenman/Saddle in 24:50. I was going at a hard effort, though not quite TT effort/pace and knew I was not at my best this evening, though it was at this last junction where I really flubbed. I did some faulty math and erroneously determined, that even if I set a PR split to the top, I would not even break 40. This thought discouraged me some and feeling slightly deflated, I backed off the pace a bit, still moving OK, but my resolve had eroded.
On the steep rock steps, just below the spot where the NE Ridge route meets the trail, I saw that I was at 31 and change and realized that I was ~90 seconds off on my previous estimates and that I might actually have a chance to break 40/PR. I then upped the pace again, giving it about all I had and saw 37 mid between the 3rd and 2nd to last switchbacks and was sure I would finish 38 high, but the stopwatch got away from me a bit on the final stretch and I stopped my watch at the post for a 39:14 PR. I had mixed feelings and was happy that I PR'ed, considering I did not feel all that snappy, but also felt a little regretful that I backed off like I did in the middle and squandered a good 30 seconds or so.
I decided to backtrack the descent for a 1:05 RT 10K.
Overall a pretty good run though all things considered.
Lessons of the day:
- Pizza before running Green Mountain is not the best idea.
- I need to improve my simple math skills while running hard.
- 7 oz shoes are no faster than 10 or 11 oz shoes if you are having a good day.
- I descend faster and with more confidence in a well cushioned/better protected shoe.
- Salomon XR Mission shoes have a jacked up arch that causes arch blisters.
