Watchung not-so-Winter not-so-Ultra

I ran the one-loop 10.7-mile version of the Watchung Winter Ultra race put on by NJ Trail Series on Saturday. My goal was to try and maintain around 160 HR and see if I could do that for the whole time. I guessed this might put me around 9-minute per mile pace or around 1:38 or so for the one loop around the Sierra trail that all the day's races were run on. Well I ended up running 1:38 and change for something like 9:04 pace overall... but nothing like I had planned. After a couple miles I was comfortably following two guys and HR was 160-2. Just like I wanted. Then for some unknown reason I decided to try and move up behind a bigger group that was 30-40 yards ahead. Soon after I passed the two guys I was with and started to try to gain on the bigger group we hit a long uphill. So not only did I not catch the group ahead I spiked my HR much higher than I should have. That would end up costing me. After 4 miles I was on 8:30 pace and that was too quick. The rest of the way I was passed by a bunch of runners including the two guys I should have stayed with. The last 2 miles or so my right calf began hinting at cramping and then actually cramped. Pretty clearly I could hve run the same overall time with a lot less effort had I been smarter about it. I'll see if I can be smarter at the FebApple race in February. Pretty much the same distance but at South Mountain instead of Watchung.

New Year's Day 5Ks (Yes, 2 of them!)

Ran the Fair Lawn 1st Day 5k at 11:00 this morning with Will. He ran 23:08 and took 1st place for 10-14. Then we drove over to Wayne and did the Passaic County Runners Club Winter Series opener at 2:00. He ran 22:38 on a hilly course. Pretty good start to the year.