CIM 2009 - REPORT

CHIP TIME: 3:15:44


CONDITIONS: 29-31 degrees, Windy

COURSE: Mostly flat, some nice downhill stretches, bland scenery

CROWD: Jammed for about the first 5 miles, spread out for most of the duration


Is the CIM course really as fast as they say? No. I don't think so. Granted there are some nice lengthy stretches of downhill slope but mostly it's flat and a bit hilly. The dreaded final six miles are nice with the Sacramento crowds cheering and flat city streets, But I have to admit, I do feel silly for running all those extreme downhill courses in training. It's not necessary. While it can't hurt to be familiar with hilly running I may have gone a bit overboard. This race was freezing cold. I know the cold is a runners friend but this weather felt very sharp and biting. When the winds kicked in scantly clad runners were wincing feeling the harsh conditions. I wore a Brooks jacket on top of a nice Asics long sleeve pull-over. I opted to wear my Saucony pants over shorts as well. This was one one of my better decisions. After the disaster I faced in Reno's marathon earlier this year I wasn't about to get caught in freezing rain again (though It didn't rain luckily). Everything went very smoothly. Mile 22 on was a little harsh but I kept pace and nearly qualified for Boston. Shaving over a half and hour off my previous time is a pretty big feat for me, (not to mention beating my Dad's time). I'm very pleased with the experience overall even if I did have a bit of a rough post-race (upset stomach, extreme cold and fatigue). It was all worth it. Now, I can focus on posting a 3:10 for my next race.