2019 DopeyBadger Racing Season Prediction Contest - Race #4 (Haunted Hustle HM)
My Guess!
This one was much easier than DoLittle. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Garmin VO2max with adjustment played well in terms of determining my predicted race pace. This time around is a touch different since I'm running this as a LR w/ FF effort instead of a race effort. But not different enough that I need to reinvent the wheel again.
I evaluated the Haunted Hustle HM course.
Miles 3-4, 6-7, 7-8, and 8-9 appear to be where the hills are. Otherwise, it's mostly flat. Using this runner's GAP, I was able to roughly ascertain the effect of each mile difference from flat terrain.
I then combined the VO2max data, HR data, and GAP data to create a goal pace range for each mile.
I simply took each VDOT - 6 points (based on my history with my Garmin VO2max values and actual VDOT performance) to get the predicted paces for LR, M Tempo, and HM Tempo. So the VO2max of 58 currently on my watch is using the VDOT 52 values. I adjusted the goal paces down by 5 seconds to account for the hills, but then my Garmin VO2max is based on training on hills so I think it's a justified move. Then each individual mile is based on the predicted GAP and the elevation gains from each subsequent mile. So mile 6-7 is suppose to be a +18 per GAP, and thus the equivalent effort to a 7:35 mile is a 7:53 mile. The result is an undulated pace but what should be an equal effort throughout. I'll print off the range from Garmin 60 to 58 and attempt to be between those mile times for each mile. The three red miles are the uphills and the orange miles are when the gloves come off and the goal is HM to M Tempo.
Since I had trouble reading the time ranges during the DoLittle, I'm increasing the font size and placing the 1st and 2nd half on two different wrist bands. The hope is that double the bands on my wrist won't cause an issue, but now allow me to better read the ranges.
For my guess, I'm going to say I do well holding back but run a touch faster than the last two training runs and use the 58 value. So that would be a 1:39:27 HM (assuming the race measures 13.0 miles per GPS and not 13.11 miles). My current "cumulative time off" is -35 seconds (so I've so far guessed 35 seconds too fast). So 1:39:27 + 35 seconds is a final guess of
1:40:02.
But...... then.... there's always that weather.....
