Lake Tahoe Trip Recap

Introduction

If you are a regular reader, you know that after an epic weekend to a marathon destination, I like to write about my experiences: what I ate, what I did, etc.  This is mostly for my purposes -- as a personal journal that I have decided to make public.  Sometimes friends and family like to read it, or maybe you might find some interest in it.

Either way, I write this for strictly for me. So without further ado, here is my trip recap to Lake Tahoe.

Friday

I took half a day at work, which was much needed.  I haven't taken much time off this year (believe it or not) and I was in dire need of a break.  

The plan was to break up getting to Lake Tahoe over the course of 2 days.  I had snagged a free room at the Red Lion in Elko, NV and that is about 3.5 hours from our house.  On Saturday we would do the remainder of the 5 hour and change drive to Lake Tahoe.

I rented a Hyundai from the local Enterprise Rent-a-car place.  Unfortunately it didn't have cruise control (I was too cheap for the mid-size car) so I was constantly lead-footing it on the way out there.

The salt flats after some rain

The salt flats after some rain

Just shy of 3 PM we hit the road and made good progress to Elko.  We did stop at the Montego Bay Resort in Wendover.  They had a special where if you merely checked in you would earn a prize.  We weren't expecting much, but I won $15 in free play.  Shari won some tickets to a drawing you had to attend.  We gambled a bit since it was a nice comp multiplier but we had a long weekend to prepare for and we didn't want to blow our budget there.  As usual, when they have a comp multiplier the machines are super tight and I wound up pissing away about $40.

The rest of the drive to Elko was pretty uneventful.  I was pretty hungry so we opted to eat at the Red Lion Buffet.  I held my appetite in check as I know if I eat too much leading up to a marathon, I would wind up feeling bloated.  I still ate pretty well though and the cost was offset by our $6 coupons that Shari and I each were able to use.

We checked into our room and then hit the casino.  I was off to a good start managed to get a red envelope on my favorite slot machine (actually my favorite's new edition).  By the time I had gotten through my free play and a few bucks of my own, I had made up my losses from Wendover and was actually up some.

We then headed across town to the Gold Dust West.  Shari had some birthday free play to go through and I had a bi-weekly free play to use.  As usual, Gold Dust West took my money greedily.  I was up briefly but I was having zero luck there.  I like their casino, but I rarely ever win there.  And before I left I was back down to about even.

I actually wound up sleeping great, which is a surprise.  I had some anxiety about the race and I was kind of stressed with the day's events.

Saturday

We woke up fairly early and hit the buffet.  It wound up being more economical and we didn't have to wait for service.  I kept the amount of food I ate down to a minimum. I know that sounds anti-buffet, but that's the way I was going to roll.  

We also had our free play recycle at the Red Lion, which Shari and I used.  We wound up winning a few bucks, but nothing too noteworthy.  I should just be 100% loyal to the Red Lion.  They treat me very well and I actually came out a head strictly gambling at their place.

We left just shy of noon and made our way westward.  It was actually a pretty easy drive and I enjoyed seeing the scenery again.  I drove along in silence and I often wondered why lay just beyond the free exits that I was passing by.  I also made mental notes of little villages and cities that I would like to one day explore.

Once we got on the outskirts of Reno, I decided to take a slightly different way into Tahoe.  Normally you take I-80 into Reno and then head south from there.  It is slightly longer distance-wise but faster in terms of speed limits.

Instead, I hooked my way south through Fernley and took the scenic, but shorter route there.  This was a pleasant diversion.  The speed limit was definitely slower, but it was good to see Silver Springs, Stagecoach, Dayton and the outskirts of Carson City.  There were a bunch of casinos that I would've loved to have checked out as well.  I really find a lot of peace in just seeing all the empty space.

We eventually rolled in Tahoe (after almost getting a flat tire in a construction zone).  We were staying at Harvey's Hotel and Casino and Tahoe is pretty easy to navigate.  So we parked, checked in and I headed on over to the marathon expo to pick up my gear.

I wound up gambling some more but really wasn't winning very much.  I figured Tahoe was going to be tight so I wasn't expecting much.  The casinos there all had our favorite games and we found no shortage of games to play.

The "strip" as it were wasn't bustling like Vegas.  It was certainly busy but as the night got cooler, less and less people were out and about.

Banner welcoming runners over the "strip"

We wound up eating at the Harrah's Cafe.  The food was all right and I had some vegetarian pasta thing.  It was just enough food to get me filled up without feeling bloated.

We wound up circling the casino for a bit.  The Harrah's Casino, which I have always had decent luck, had giant-sized Fu Dao Le machines.  I actually won on these things and quickly made up my losses that I had taken earlier in the afternoon.

Feeling lucky, I wound up also putting a small bet on the under on the Bears vs Colts game, which I lost.

I turned in just shy of 10 PM and set my alarm early for the marathon.

Sunday

I slept like garbage the night before the marathon.  I mean one of the worst nights ever.  Between pre-race anxiety to the fact that there was some sort of damper or "something" was slamming with semi-regularity every few minutes.  I'd just about be back asleep before I'd hear a "slam".  It was too late and too much work to change rooms, but if I got more than 3 hours of solid sleep, I would be surprised.

I assembled my stuff and walked the 10 minutes to the bus pick-up and ran the Lake Tahoe Marathon, which you can read here.

After finishing, despite being exhausted, I was actually feeling pretty good.  The weather had been okay and I wasn't freezing.  I managed to limp back to the hotel (with Shari's help), showered, and we sorted out where we wanted to eat.  I didn't want a buffet and I wanted something quick.  

They had a Straw Hat pizzeria at the Harvey's Casino.  Straw Hat was a chain in southern California and it had been years since I had their delicious pizza.  So we decided to eat there.

It was "Raiders Nation" there and everyone was rooting for them.  I wasn't used to that.  But I remembered I was within close proximity of San Francisco.  The pizza was half way decent and they had unlimited, serve yourself drinks, which I greedily gulped down:

After eating, Shari and I wandered around the California side of Lake Tahoe taking in some of the trinket shops.  This is something she likes to do and since she had pretty much killed the morning off waiting for me, this was her time to try and enjoy the trip.

That was short lived and we wound up gambling a bit, neither winning nor losing much.  After a while we got tired of that and it was getting closer to dinner.  I wasn't terribly hungry yet -- that pizza sat in my gut like a bowling ball.

I wound up hitting the Harvey Pool.  It was pretty chilly for a run, but the sauna was an excellent decision.  It really helped and I certainly felt less sore as a result.

Afterwards we wandered around the town, taking in the nightlife -- or whatever was left of it for a Sunday night.  We had only checked out two of the 4 main casinos so we wandered to the Hard Rock Casino.  I attempted to play Fu Dao Le there and wasn't getting anything (their progressives were much better than Harrah's).

I was almost back to even or maybe down a few bucks at this point before walking over to the Montbleu.  This casino was the most spacious I had ever been in.  Tons of room between aisles of slot machines.  Feeling daring, I popped in a $100 into a slot and bet max with reckless abandon.  I wound up nailing a $140 bonus round, which helped me bring back my bottom line:

After a while, I realized I was starving.  As any runner knows, after running a marathon your appetite is pretty dulled until a few hours later when it roars with reckless abandon.  The buffet was closed (it was getting late) but we found the Hard Rock Restaurant (in Harveys, not Hard Rock Casino -- go figure) was open and eager to serve.  The food was good but pricey -- I had some vegetarian cauliflower veggie burger with fries.  Actually super good.

We pretty much gambled a bit more and we did okay (surprise surprise) before turning in.

Due to the noisy room we had on Saturday night, Harvey's had graciously moved us to the newer section of the hotel.  This room was far more spacious, modern and fresher.  What a difference!  If I was ever to stay there again, I'd pony up the extra bucks to stay on that side versus the older side.  Despite being near the elevator, I wound up sleeping perfectly.

Monday

We wound up waking up fairly late in the morning due to both of us being tired.  Shari had a wicked cold and I was just tired from running the marathon.

The first order of business was getting some more cough medicine and finding a place to eat.  I had spotted a line-up of people going into Heidi's Pancake House the day before on my run.  It looked like a quaint, homey, Swedish breakfast place.  Judging by the cars in the parking lot it appeared like they were doing a lot of business.

So we went there.  The service was quick, coffee piping hot and the food -- delicious.  I was definitely in California / Tahoe when the bill came -- $40 for breakfast.  Ouch.  But it was good and kept me filled for most of the day.  The inside was filled with Swedish decor and I wouldn't hesitate in going back.

Heidi's Pancake House

After eating, Shari and I visited Secret Beach and Spooner Lake.  

We had some visions of going into Reno and eating there for the evening.  However, we made it to Carson City and we gambled there for about an hour.  We both lost our shirts there.  I had hoped being at a smaller, independent casino might result in a "luckier" experience, but no dice.  I still like the Fandango Casino but it was a tough day.

I was tired of driving and it was approaching rush hour so we opted out of going into Reno.

I had some time to kill and I wasn't quite hungry for food, so of all things, I decided to go for a run.  I NEVER run the day after a marathon.  But being I was in Lake Tahoe and I had sort of missed the final 3 miles or so of the marathon due to deliriums (I am exaggerating) I decided to go for a run.  I wound up feeling pretty good and probably rocked out 5 miles.  I actually felt BETTER than when I had run the marathon.  Go figure.

We drove back to the hotel and I wound up hitting the Jacuzzi again.   What a nice reward after a tough day.

For dinner, we dined at the Harrah's buffet.  It had gotten mediocre reviews, but it was the only buffet open in town and it was a buffet -- and I had to try it.

I'll agree with the reviews to some extent.  The food was fresh and well prepared, but it wasn't the best buffet -- by any means -- that I've ever been to.  There was an ample selection but not a lot stood out as fantastic (maybe the pizza).  For the price, about $20 each, it wasn't a total ripoff but it won't make my top 10 casino buffet list.

Tuesday

We wound up getting up early -- virtually at the crack of dawn and left Tahoe.  We had toyed around with eating again at Heidi's but we decided to try the Fandango Casino's breakfast.  It was passable and less than $10 a person.  The place was empty -- including the casino -- so we had the place to ourselves.

I don't think we gambled at all and quickly got on the freeway towards Reno.  I was surprised to find rush hour traffic to be not that terrible (it was just shy of 9 AM) and we made excellent time.

We hit Elko about midafternoon.  We had some free play at the Red Lion ($12 each) so we decided it would be worth stopping in and trying our luck and using the rest room.  I wound up hitting another red envelope and cashed another $100.  Definitely worth the stop!

$130 win

I was getting hungry, but we had a 2-for-1 buffet in Wendover.  So we made the 100 minute drive from Elko to Wendover.  The buffet was a ghost town -- and in fact they were changing the carpeting on half the buffet, so it 50% of the seating area was closed.

After eating, we decided to kill some time there waiting for our food to digest.  I played various games and wasn't having much luck.  I did jump on a Wonder Woman game, which usually results in a lot of entertainment but very little in return on your investment -- money-wise.  But this time I hit a nice bonus round on a $1 bet and got the best screen you could possibly get:

$120 win

Shari wound up hitting a nice bonus round too and we definitely came out ahead in Wendover.

The rest of the trip home was pretty uneventful.  While I lost an hour coming from Pacific Time, I still was able to have a good portion of  the day left.  Also, the amount of cash I brought on the trip was roughly the amount I came home with (okay, maybe down a few twenties).  

Conclusion

What a trip.  I got to do so much off my bucket list.  I managed to take down California and experience running on the bike trail along the lake.  I also got to experience "The Strip" of Tahoe and see what it had to offer.

I'd definitely like to go back -- even rent a cottage for a few days and run freely without worrying about a race.  It is just a pretty area and there is a lot of hiking / outdoors things to do.  

This Week in Running 10/9 - 10/15

Monday's Run along the shores of Lake Tahoe

Day	Mileage / Workout	Comments
Sunday	26.5	Tahoe Marathon
Monday	5	Recovery run along the shores of Lake Tahoe. Just enjoying being outside
Tuesday	Off	Travel Day
Wednesday	7	Easy
Thursday	7	Easy with the second half faster
Friday	Off
Saturday	6	Frightmares 10K race
Total miles for the week: 51; YTD: 1787.5

Week's Summary

Believe it or not, this week was primarily about recovery.  The overall volume, doesn't indicate that, however.

On Monday, I felt really good and being that I was in Lake Tahoe and with a bit of time to kill, I opted to go for an easy run along the main drag in town.  I more or less followed the final 2 to 2.5 miles of the marathon that I had just run the previous day.  I was in such a haze during the marathon that I couldn't appreciate what I was running by.  It was actually one of the prettier, enjoyable and memorable runs I've done in a long time.

On the shores of Lake Tahoe

I think park of the reason I was able to run so quickly after finishing a marathon is that I did spend a session or two in the sauna at the hotel.  It really helped me feel less sore.

Tahoe Marathon

The week prior to the Tahoe Marathon I felt extremely flat.  Every -- and I mean every run -- I did during the week felt like I was dragging an anchor behind me.  

I go through phases where I am not feeling awesome and I figured that once the race started I would get back into the groove.  But it didn't happen.  

I am not sure what the cause of this was: over training? not enough food?  Wrong kind of food? Nerves? 

The magic didn't happen and once again, despite some diligent training, the marathon didn't go as planned.  I still have one more shot at redemption this year: the Las Vegas Marathon.  So I am hoping to bear down on that and succeed with that one.

Weight Matters

One of the reasons why I think I am slowing down (sometimes a great deal) is that I've put on a bit of weight over the years.  4 years ago when I moved to Utah I was about 167 pounds and running pretty well.  These days I am pushing 182 and all of it is pure body fat.

It isn't so much as what I am eating -- it is how much.  I've got the physical activity down pat and I know what is good for me (and what isn't).  But over eating seems to be my primary nemesis.  Running makes me hungry and when I get to that "point" I look for a buffet instead of something sensible.

I don't believe in starvation or self-sacrifice.  I workout hard and I like to indulge but I think I have taken it a step too far.  

Recently I have ditched diet soda and I have cut way back on sugary soda.  I still have a candy / cookie addiction.  But my biggest problem is that I know the name and location of every buffet in a 200 mile radius and generally on a first-name basis at most of them.  That's not good.

Hopefully "This Week in Running" will also keep you updated with my attempt at weight loss.  

Upcoming Races

10/29: Halloween Harvest Half Marathon - Syracuse, UT (confirmed)
11/13: Las Vegas Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

11/26: South Davis Recreation Center Thanksgiving Day 5K - Bountiful, UT
04/15: Salt Lake City Marathon - Salt Lake City, UT (Confirmed) (2017)

2016 Lake Tahoe Marathon Race Recap - South Lake Tahoe CA

Official Time: 4:46:15
Placement: 75th place overall, 6th in my age division
Results: Here
Race Website:Here
Weather: low 40's at start, upper 50's / low 60's at finish.
Garmin Route: Here

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:17	A little bit of climb here, but felt easy
2	9:17
3	9:39	Brief pit stop in the woods here.
4	9:23
5	9:37	Some rolling hills here. Still feeling okay but a little winded
6	9:36	Suddenly realized here that this race was going to be a tough one.
7	9:56
8	9:10	Quite a bit of downhill.  Hopefully getting a bit of a second wind
9	13:18	Hill of death here.  309 feet of climbing
10	12:14	Another 244 feet of climbing
11	10:30	Mix of up and down.
12	10:14	Some up hill but finally taking in some downhill running
13	12:03	Another round of climbing
14	8:44	279 feet of decline. Fastest mile of the race
15	10:00	More downhill but I don't seem able to work with it
16	10:02
17	11:07	Fairly flat at this point. Tired and just felt drained
18	10:48
19	11:28	The death march begins
20	11:47
21	11:44
22	11:49	Just shuffling along
23	11:12
24	12:30	The longest final miles ever.
25	12:16
26	11:44	Knowing the end was near I somehow picked up the pace
26.62	6:468	Finally finished.
Total Miles: 26.62 - 4:46:15

Introduction

Last year when I visited Lake Tahoe for the first time I spotted a bike trail that circled the lake.  Seeing the tree-lined paved trail looked like an idyllic and beautiful run.  I immediately imagined myself logging a ton of miles along this Sierra inspired trail.  I made a bucket list item to actually spend some time there and either bike it or run along it.

After my trip, I went home and started to search around to see if there was any sort of marathon that would at least give me a reason to run it and knock off California off my 50 states list.  I quickly found the Lake Tahoe Marathon, a multi-day running event that features a marathon and ultras that coincidentally ran along the bike trail.

Best of all, the race is held in October, where the weather is cooler and the scenery was promised to be awesome.  How could I resist?

Pre-Race

I rolled into town on Saturday afternoon, checked into my hotel (Harvey's) and quickly headed across the border to California (about 100 yards) and picked up my bib at the host hotel.  It was pretty easy and a small time affair.  They had some gels and shirts for sale, but overall it was an easy in, easy out.

They added a nice touch with personalized and unique bibs.  While I thought the design was a little effeminate it was cool and it'll be a bib I'll hang onto.  You definitely won't find this one at any other race.

For dinner, I walked across the street and ate at the cafe at Harrah's.  I had a large plate of spaghetti.  Spaghetti is a good carb source, but I've found that I don't necessarily run that well after eating it.  It seems a bit heavy for me, but it was good and it wasn't a gut buster.

After eating, Shari and I killed some time in the casino and I went to bed fairly early.  I set my alarm for a little after 5 AM so that I could walk back over to the host hotel and pick up a bus by 6:15 AM.

I slept extremely poorly.  The anxiety from the race as well as some mysterious noise in my room kept me up for half the night.  I figure I got about 3 hours, if that, of actual sleep.  Every 5 - 10 minutes, a damper in the bathroom ceiling would slam shut.  At first it happened very irreguarly, but as the night wore on, it got worse and worse and more frequent.  Awful.

I got up before my alarm went off, prepared my stuff and headed out to catch a bus.  I was one of the first to board the bus and met a woman from Nampa, Idaho.  It was nice to have someone to talk to, as the bus ride was LONG.  I am not exactly sure how long it took, but going 30 - 40 mph for 26 miles takes a while.

The Race

I had less than an hour to kill before the race and I wound up cycling through the bathroom (one of the advantages of riding in the front of the bus is that I could hop off and use them without a wait).  I made small talk chatting with people who were running 3 marathons in 3 days, which I thought was insane.

The photographer for the event snapped a picture of me standing near the Lake Tahoe shoreline.  He wanted to see my bib, which was attached to my shorts, which were covered by my sweat pants.  I had to drop them, hence my smile.

People milling about before the start

The race starts in Homewood California, a sleepy little beach-town dotted with shoreline cottages and A-frames.  It appeared that most people were away, as their houses looked empty and closed for the winter.  It was nice to sit by the lake and enjoy the view.  I was comfortable and not too terribly cold.

The race director made a few announcements regarding the race and thanking everyone for coming out.  However, he did warn everyone that this race wasn't easy.  A lot of people shy away from "hard" marathons and this race was clearly one of them.  I sort of smirked to myself and figured I could get through it.

After the national anthem and some bag pipe playing, 8 AM rolled up and we were on our way:

The first few miles of the race are stunning.  It is run along the bike trail and you are surrounded by tall pines.  There was some color in the leaves, but the Lake Tahoe area seems to be primarily pine, so there is less color than you'd think.  I really enjoyed the first couple of miles as it was fairly flat and the gentle ups and downs made it an interesting course.

I had to make a pit stop at mile 3.  It seems inevitable that in the early miles of the race I need to use the rest room.  Unfortunately there wasn't one available, so sensing a good opportunity I managed to drop off the course briefly for a pit stop.

I found that my breathing was labored and I remembered I wasn't running in Salt Lake anymore.  I thought that perhaps being that I lived at 4300 feet that I wouldn't be affected by it.  But I was wrong.  Even a small hill caused me to slow down and I found myself breathing harder than I should have been.

After a few miles we left the bike trail and ran on the side of the road.  There was very little traffic (probably the residents as the road was reduced to one lane at Emerald Bay).  At this point the hills got more serious.  I remember talking to a fellow runner and telling her that I felt like I was at mile 15 -- not mile 6.  That is NOT a good sign.

The fun began around mile 8 or so, when I was greeted with an ominous sign.  I had heard rumors about the hill from hell and I was about to experience it first hand:

Shot from where I have run from

Almost there

This 500 foot hill brought my pace to a stand-still.  I knew I was going to get a bit of a respite once I reached the top but it was hard work.  Many people walked it, but I shuffled up as best as I could.  I am not sure if the strategy paid off and if I expended too much energy as I was making about the same pace as the walkers.

At the top, you are starting to get close to Emerald Bay, which is definitely the crown jewel of the course.  You have reached the high point and you can see the beautiful bay below:

I really tried to enjoy the views but in the back of my mind, I knew I was really struggling and that caused a bit of a panic.

Going into the race I knew this race was going to be a challenge.  The altitude and the hills made it a challenge and I knew realistically that unless I had a fantastic day, I was not going to finish sub 4:20.  Still I had had hopes that my long runs would work and things would come together.  But I had totally underestimated what it was going to take.

Studying my split once I crossed the half marathon, I realized that I was at 2:10.  The hardest part of the race was over and I had downhills and flats left.  But I felt pretty warm (the sun was out but the air temperature wasn't extremely hot) and to be honest I was considering throwing in the towel.  The race director's words were starting to haunt me: this race was hard.

I buckled down and did what every marathoner has done when they know the chips are down:  put one foot in front of the other.  The finish line would eventually come.

After getting past Emerald Bay you run a few more miles along some twisting curves before settling onto the bike trail.  This is where I dreamed of running and today it was more of a nightmare.  I was in desperation mode.

My legs felt heavy and it was a challenge to get any momentum going. I just didn't have any energy.

I was surrounded by half marathoners, who had started the race two hours after us, who were walking.  I really wanted to find a companion and just walk with them.  I did get a lot of support from them as they urged me to continue running.

But my pride got the best of me and while I was shambling (more or less), I managed to put one foot in front of the other.  I was making progress -- and it was faster than walking.

The final 4 miles or so, are on the sidewalk that line the main thoroughfaire.  It also occasionally ducked into a subdivision or two.  It was interesting to see the residential areas and there was only light traffic.

My only complaint about the final miles (and the course in general) was that you were running through the entrances of strip malls.  There was some in and out of traffic -- some of it marshalled -- but to some extent you were at the mercy of the traffic.  Luckily, people were understanding and I never lost any time whatsoever to the multitude of intersections I ran through.

Final stretch was through an apartment complex

I was thrown for a loop when the final stretch sent us through what looked to be an apartment complex.  Seriously.  It didn't last long before taking us down to the beach where thankfully I was able to finish.  I was just incredibly happy it was just OVER.

Do I look tired?

The way I felt about my performance

Conclusion

Me on the California side sporting the shirt

Shari was there to greet me when I finished and quickly fished out a Coke for me.  This settled my nauseated stomach faster than anything.  I walked around and eventually sat down.  I had a brief wave of sickness pass over me, but luckily it was short lived.

A lot of other people were suffering too.  I had finished with a ton of the half marathoner walkers so the finish line area was pretty congested.  I hadn't seen many marathoners but I was just happy to finish.

The finish line was a little sparse on food and drink at the end.  They had water and sports drink.  They also had bananas, protein bars and some pretzels.  I had hoped there would've been sodas.  There were some food vendors selling food, but I wasn't in the mood to eat.

They had ample medical services and I was briefly checked out.  I guess the folding chair I had decided to sit in was technically in the medical area.  I spotted another guy in the tent with an I.V. sticking out of his arm.  So it was a tough day at the offices for a lot of people.

The aid stations were super plentiful.  They had promised one every 2 miles or so.  I got way more than that.  It seemed like there were a ton of aid stations -- maybe at least one every mile.  They were serving Ultima, which I had never tried before.  I had packed my own Tailwind and a few gels as well.

I wasn't a fan of the Ultima drink.  Reading it now, it appears to be calorie free and it wasn't my favorite flavor.  Due to the high altitude and it being fairly warm, I went through a LOT of fluids.  I don't think I've ever drank this much during a race.  But every aid station I took something and I went through my 28 ounce canister a few times (I filled it up more than once at the stations).  And I still felt dehydrated.

The volunteers were simply awesome.  They had plenty of drinks ready and were there to cheer you on.  They were mostly young people too - so major props to them.

The organization was also pretty spot on.  From race communications, to packet pickup, to having bathrooms available at the start, to course safety, the race director had it down.  Also the price was fairly reasonable, considering the lengths they had to go through (I think I paid in the low 100s)

While I seem to be done on this race, nothing could be further from the truth.  I loved the course.  I just wish I could've enjoyed it more but I was really struggling throughout.  The views were just outstanding and there was plenty of variety.  I just suffered almost from mile 1 on wards.

Would I run this one again?  Probably not.  It was just extremely difficult for me and I have a hard time separating doing a race for the experience and racing it.  While I sort of left myself off the hook in terms of racing it, I had certainly expected a sub 4:30 was in the cards.  I would, however, run the half again and I'd definitely want to run for fun on the bike trail again.  The course was just that good.