Baystate marathon

I ran the Baystate marathon yesterday and it was a perfect day to be out there running.  My goal was to run just under 3:00 (last year I ran 2:59:41) with very even splits.  My hope was that my foot (plantar fascia) would hold up well and I'll be okay to do the Lithia Loop US trail marathon championships on 11-07.  So far so good on my foot but I'll wait a few days before deciding.

On the final bridge - Picture from scottmasonphoto.com

It took the first three miles for me to dial in on 6:52 pace, but from that point on I was very close to hitting my pace.  Unlike last year I didn't have a lot of company.  Just a couple of guys ran with me for most of the first 13 miles.  From 17 on I ran alone, but I'd upped the pace and was starting to pass a LOT of people who were feeling the effects of going to hard in the early miles.  I was feeling like getting the race done and my last 5 miles were my fastest five of the day.  My three fastest miles of the day were 23, 19, and 24.

The field seemed to be deeper than 2009...CMS took the open title but the top times were much faster than last year and it was a close battle.  The CMS masters took second place despite averaging 2:40:17!

1. WHIRLAWAY 2:33:42 2:36:17 2:40:56 (2:47:53) (3:03:08) = 7:50:55
JASON PORTER, MARK GIBSON, CHRIS SPINNEY, EPHRAIM EZEKIEL, M LECHLEIDER

2. CENTRAL MASS STRIDERS
2:37:21 2:40:25 2:43:04 (2:58:03) (3:07:06) = 8:00:50
GEORGE ADAMS, KEN TRIPP, DAN VERRINGTON, DAVE DUNHAM, ERNIE BRAKE

3. GCS - TRIAD RACING TEAM
2:37:57 2:40:15 2:44:37 (3:10:44) (3:14:26) = 8:02:49
JOE DONNELLY, BRIAN RUHM, MARK ENGERMAN, STEVE WOLFE


My Splits:
1 6:41

2 6:44 0:13:25
3 6:55 0:20:20
4 6:49 0:27:09
5 6:57 0:34:06 0:34:06
6 6:56 0:41:02
7 6:50 0:47:52
8 6:53 0:54:45
9 6:55 1:01:40
10 6:53 1:08:33 0:34:27
11 6:50 1:15:23
12 6:49 1:22:12
13.1 7:43 1:29:55 1/2
14 6:10 1:36:05
15 6:50 1:42:55 0:34:22
16 6:52 1:49:47
17 6:46 1:56:33
18 6:40 2:03:13
19 6:38 2:09:51
20 6:43 2:16:34 0:34:29
21 6:43 2:23:17
22 6:44 2:30:01
23 6:36 2:36:37
24 6:39 2:43:16
25 6:42 2:49:58 0:33:24