Not as much downhill as I'd hoped for

My dream goal was 1:45, my realistic goal was 1:48, my bad race goal was 1:50. Typical Revel events have significant elevation loss, usually resulting in fast paces. This one started at 6230' and finished at 5436' (net drop = 794'). But most of the drop was in the first 5 miles, then the course essentially flattened out, except for one long incline for mile 8. That was supposedly only 16', but sure felt like more.

I was doing well for the first 7 miles - miles 1 & 2 just over 8:00; miles 3 - 6 at 7:47 - 7:52. Then mile 7 was 8:07 and things got slower from there (8:27; 8:26; 8:13; 8:33; 8:32; 8:44). I was fueling and hydrating ok, but just running out of gas. Maybe the altitude? But it was not that high and I hadn't been there for more than 18 hours, so should really not have been a big factor. Friends who ran the marathon the next day felt it really affected them.

Despite the wheels coming off, I still managed to finish in 1:47:03! Very happy to break 1:48! Just wish I could've grabbed a couple drinks faster or opened and consumed my gels faster ;)

1st in my AG (1st in AG for both men and women!); 34th woman; 52nd overall