BolderBOULDER 2007

In 2007: Sub-50.

That was how I ended my essay on last year's BolderBOULDER. I had run a PR of 53:31, and since that had been nearly ten minutes faster than my 2005 time, I figured shaving three minutes off would be cake.

Then, I ran my first full marathon exactly eight days before this world-famous 10K.

I deliberately held myself back. I started with my qualifying wave, up towards the front of the pack, surrounded by sub-8:30 milers. But I figured I had nothing to prove to anybody. I'd run 26.8 miles the week before (yes, you read that right, more than a full marathon. Check out my essay on the Colfax Marathon 2007 for details). I was running for free this year (the BB comped my entry because of some confusion following the Colder BOULDER last December). And the last thing I wanted or needed to do was run so hard and fast that I'd end up injuring myself prior to starting training for my next marathon.

So I tried to hold back as much as I could. I ran what I thought was a very relaxed, slow pace, and walked-- slowly--through all the aid stations. And I still finished in 59:24.

Next year (since I won't be running Colfax)--sub-50.