Race Preview: Fargo Half-Marathon

Event: 2010 Fargo Marathon Weekend; competing in half-marathon

Date: Saturday, May 22
Location: Fargo, ND
Previous Results: Never competed in this event

I'll be heading out for the second weekend in a row to travel westward. This time we make the journey to Fargo, North Dakota. It is Fargo where I attended North Dakota State University ('79-'84), graduating with a B.S. in Pharmacy.
 
I have previously laid out a quite heady goal of going sub 1 hour & 30 minutes for this event. And while that is certainly possible, it most likely won't be achieved. I just simply don't have the run mileage necessary to sustain that pace. And I do not intend to lay waste to my entire triathlon season by gutting out such a performance. I'm going to use this event as a building block for the upcoming Liberty Triathlon Olympic Distance event on June 12. And also to gauge my potential for doing a half-iron man (70.3) in the future.
 
Last years half-marathon on Fargo drew 4382 competitors. There were 170 males making up the coveted 45-49 age group. I'd like to find myself in the top 150 overall and the top 10 in the age group. It all depends on who shows up, how the weather breaks, and how the race draws out.

 
Right now, the weather looks not to be a good one for running any personal bests. It should be well into the 60's by race time (7:30 AM). But more importantly, there will be a gusty wind from SE at 21 mph. Zoinks! I'll be finding me some big guys to hide behind. Hopefully the winds won't be as bad as predicted. The races course directly into that wind to start. So we would be buffeting a huge wind, then turn around and heat up with the wind behind us. I can taste that dry mouth now.
 

 
I hope to have my personal aid station in the form of the Boy® and the Well Kept Wife™ between miles 7-8 where I'll receive my own personal bottle of Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem, the world's finest endurance fuel. I hope this is the ticket to making it through the back half of the race. Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem - 32 Servings (Orange/Vanilla)

I'm going with the Nike LunaRacer flats. I have talked with fellow triathletes who have worn these shoes in halfs and come away very satisfied with the performance and cushioning provided. Nike Men's NIKE LUNARACER+ RUNNING SHOES 9 (NEUTRAL GREY/BLACK/VOLT)

Undecided is whether I sport calf compression hose (I prefer the SLS3 socks) or not. Given the state of my calf muscles post the Lakes to Pines triathlon, it may not be a bad idea. But the restrictive feeling of the hose could end up bothering me late in the race. SLS3 Compression Sleeve White S/M

Goal: 1:30 (6:51 per mile pace)
Realistic Goal: 1:32 (7:01 per mile pace)
Satisfactory Goal: 1:34 (7:10 per mile pace)
 
I don't think I've done that before. Set a max-mid-min goal, a window of possible success from which I'd be ecstatic, thrilled, or satisfied with my result. In this case, it is necessary as I've not competed at this distance in some twenty one years and then the result was 1 hour and 19 minutes (6:01 pace). I can factually tell you, that won't happen again! I've been dealing with a gippy right calf since last weekends triathlon. In fact, there has been some thought this week that I may not be able to compete at all. But it looks like I'll be able to make the starting line at this point.
 
I know of at least two people competing this year in the half-marathon. The legendary Steve Aesoph from Jamestown, NoDak who is the race director for the XTERRA Pipestem event I will be competing in come June. And Mike Fretland of Bismarck, NoDak who just won the Lakes to Pines triathlon in course record fashion. I hope to rub shoulders with each before they leave me in the dust.
 
Good luck to everyone running in all the events in Fargo this weekend.