On May 3rd I ran the Mountain Goat 10 Mile Race in Syracuse, New York. I finished in 1:36 and some change.
My goal was 1:37:00.
I beat it by over 20 seconds and my first thought crossing the finish line was — dang, I could have pushed harder and gotten under 1:36.
Then I took a breath and decided to just feel grateful. Because the truth is I felt awesome from the first step to the last. In control, confident, and genuinely happy to be out there. That does not happen by accident. That is what good training does.
Table of Contents
Mountain Goal 10 Mile – The Race
The Mountain Goat is a beloved Syracuse tradition and one I have run enough times to know its personality well. The course has character — big ole’ steep hills, a city backdrop, and one moment in the first half that never gets old no matter how many times I have run it.
You climb a small hill and the city of Syracuse literally opens up before your eyes. The skyline, the JMA Wireless Dome where the Syracuse University Orange play — it is a genuinely beautiful view that reminds you why racing in your own city feels different from racing anywhere else. That moment always gives me a little lift and this year was no different.
The Warm Up — My Asthma Strategy
I have asthma. It is something I manage as part of my running life and over the years I have learned what works for me.
Before the Mountain Goat I did a quick half mile warm up with some striders. This is non-negotiable for me on race day. Getting my lungs moving and warmed up before I ask them to perform at race pace makes an enormous difference in how I feel in those critical first miles. Without the warm up my asthma can make the early miles feel harder than they should. With it I start the race already breathing well and ready to run.
If you have asthma and struggle with the early miles of a race try a proper warm up with striders before you start. It has genuinely changed my race day experience.
The Training — How Runna Built My Confidence
I trained for this race using the Runna app paired with my Garmin Forerunner 265 and I cannot overstate how much that training plan contributed to how I felt on race day.
Runna built me a structured plan based on my goal time and adapted it as my fitness improved. It pushed each day’s workout directly to my Garmin and delivered real time pace feedback through my earbuds as I ran. It taught me that I was running my easy runs too fast — a habit I have had for years — and corrected it in a way that made my hard runs genuinely harder and more productive.
By the time May 3rd arrived I had done all the training. Every hard workout, every easy recovery run, every long run. That knowledge gave me confidence I have not always had on race day. I knew what my body was capable of because I had already asked it to do hard things and watched it respond.
That confidence carried me from the first step to the last.
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Race Day Strategy — Writing on My Arms
Here is my race day pacing strategy and yes I know it looks a little goofy — I write my target mile paces on my arms with a Sharpie.
First half of the race goes on my left arm. Second half goes on my right. I determine my target pace per mile based on the specific characteristics of the course — the hills, the flat sections, where to push and where to conserve — and I write it all out before the start.
Then during the race I glance at my arm to check my pace and at my Garmin to confirm my actual pace. Simple, low tech, and completely effective. I have run the Mountain Goat enough times to know this course well and that knowledge combined with the written paces keeps me honest and on target throughout.
It looks goofy. It works perfectly. I have zero regrets.
The Gear
I ran in shorts with pockets — always, non-negotiable — and left my FlipBelt at home for this one. For fuel I carried Honey Stinger Organic Cherry Blossom energy chews which I use on any run longer than six miles. Clean ingredients, great taste, and reliable energy that has never let me down mid race.
My Garmin Forerunner 265 was on my wrist for pacing throughout — I use it on every single run and race day is no exception. The big easy to read screen makes checking my pace mid stride completely effortless. I love everything about my Garmin.
Crossing the Finish Line
Twenty three seconds under my goal.
My first thought was competitive — I could have pushed harder and gone under 1:36. That thought lasted about thirty seconds before I replaced it with something better.
I felt amazing all the way through. In control from the first step to the last. Strong on the hills. Comfortable at pace. Happy to be racing.
After years of running and months of structured Runna training that kind of race day experience is exactly what the work is for. Not just the time on the clock — the feeling of showing up prepared and running a race that reflects the training you have done.
I’m working on taking my finish time and feeling proud of every second of it.
What Is Next
I have already signed up for the 2027 Mountain Goat.
Next year I want to run it faster. I know what I am capable of now and I know what training with intention looks like. The Runna plan, the Garmin data, the structured workouts — all of it will be back in place for 2027.
And maybe next time my first thought at the finish line will be pure gratitude without the competitive second-guessing.
Probably not. But this runner can dream.
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