The Montoya's

NM 1/2 Marathon

I ran the NM 1/2 marathon today in Albuquerque in a time of 1:32:19. That is an average 7:01 minute/mile and a whopping 10 minutes faster than I ran this race last year!

I couldn't have asked for better weather as it was cool and overcast. The race starts with a mile or so of downhill then it is as flat as you can get for the remainder of the race. I think I ran well and did my best to run consistent but I know I slowed at mile 8. Up to that point I was averaging just slightly faster than 7:00 min/mile and the dream of breaking 1:30 was dancing in my head. But it was not to last and I slowed slightly. I was able to run by people almost the entire way and it was not until mile 10 that one male passed me and at mile 12 I got "cougar'ed" by not one but two female runners. I just looked up the results and saw they finished 2nd and third respectively in the women's division. Their ages... 47 and 39. Ouch. They were probably stay at home cougars that train all day while their kids are at school so my ego is not too damaged.

Next race is the Elephant Man Triathlon at Elephant Butte later this month. I need to swim and bike some. My goal: improve my time from last year and to not get chick'ed.

Cougars often travel in packs and overtake younger men

who are not at full strength in the late stages of a race.