Yesterday I ran Portland's Shamrock Run. 5K, 8K, 15K options. I chose the 15K, which also features a big climb (500 ft + of elevation gain, though I've seen cumulative estimates upwards of 1000 since the course rolls quite a bit as it climbs) up Terwilliger Blvd. Basically, it climbs/rolls for a good 5.5 miles, loses most of it's elevation by mile 8-8.5 and has a flat finish to 9.4 miles.

I had an *amazing* run. My overall goal was sub-10:00min/mile, or a total time under 1:34. Had I been thinking straight, I would have hit my lap timer at each mile marker so I could know all my splits. As it was, I kept a few numbers in my head.

5 miles at 51:50 (pace 10:21)
8 miles at 1:19:50 (3 mile pace 9:19 - overall 9:59)
9.4 miles @1:31:38 (1.4 mile pace 8:43!! - overall 9:45)

8:43!! Holy moley, I never would have thought I could run that pace, for that distance, after already running 8 miles. I was definitely maxed out. My anaerobic threshold is at 170, and in the finishing stretch I glanced at my HR monitor and saw 171.

Anyway, I'm thrilled. For me, it was good affirmation that my training is paying dividends.

In 2 weeks I will run the Fort Vancouver 10K. I ran it last year as well, so I'll have a direct comparison on that course for year-over-year improvement. I'm really looking forward to it!