Some time ago, I blogged that I was going to go through a series of posts where I outlined my thoughts on the Pikes course.
First, the best description of the course has been written in great detail by its record holder - Matt Carpenter. This, by no stretch of the imagination, is a substitute for that. Nope, this, like most things on this blog, is simply my written "verbalization" of my thoughts on each section. This serves as a way for me to walk through the course in my head (visualization), and my strengths, weaknesses, tactics ...
That said, I will mirror each section that Matt has outlined, as he has broken each down really well.
That said, there is NO substitute for getting on the course. I have heard from some folks that each trip on the course is worth a minute on race day. I am not sure if that is true, but I know that knowing where you are going is HUGE. It is hard to get lost but it is NOT hard to get OFF COURSE for short (but very annoying periods of time). It happened to Matt on his first run on the course, and it happened to me and JV in 2005. It is pretty easy to do actually! You can read all you like, but there is nothing like seeing it with your own eyes and knowing that you are not supposed to go that way past the A-frame!
So ... over the few weeks (months), I will post a few tidbits about each section ... let's get started with THE START/ROAD. The prerequisite for any of my comments is to read Matt's stuff ...
- In past years I have been pretty diligent in getting to the front, and being on the left. In retrospect, I feel a touch crowded up against the side of the road and the start all the way over to the left and so I am probably fine in the middle and even a row or two back. The pack splits up pretty quick anyway.
- This next comment might be a bit of sacrilege but ... I find Matt's pace calculator to be completely off for me in this section (and through Ruxton, at least). Some might say that is that I am getting out too fast (and there is probably some truth to that) but I have observed most of the top 10/20 runners in this race the last couple of years and they are nearly all well ahead of the calculator's defined pace when compared to what they will actually run. My nickel on this - run relaxed here, slower than you think you should but don't subscribe to the calculator - as least through this point.
- So - that is the point - be easy here! It is tough. I get amped looking at the mountain, hearing America the Beautiful, feeling the sea of folks around me, thinking about the days it took to get to this race ... JUST CHILL and actually think of it as an easy long run for the start. The real racing will come later.
- Definitely chill when you turn onto Ruxton. The climb towards the Cog seems to level set me pretty quick. People will comment on fast it is that you are going - particularly if you are ahead of the race calculator. Don't sweat it. There will be some racing and positioning going on already. Don't - I repeat DON'T concern yourself with that. This is 10 minutes into some 2.5-3 hour race (for me). The folks that are racing ahead of you will either a.) run away from you b.) come back to you or c.) drop out. There is nothing you can do about that ... just run your race and don't destroy your race at this point.
- In past years, I have gotten to Hydro Street in 8:45ish to 9:30ish, but usually with a much faster split to the turn onto Ruxton. 9 minutes ought to feel easy.
Next section ... the FIRST SWITCHBACK (the section past Hydro is a big one for me).
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