2012 Training Day 57: 21K in 1:57:51 - sub elite

This is good. It is my first sub 2 hours in Training. It means in a race, where I am being pushed or pulled by other competitors, I can do much better. Probably slash 8 mins or more from that time.
I was up at 5:40am. Did some light stretching and the other stuff. Bandaged my left shin for support. As usual, carried 500ml of water to ensure I don't get a headache that I used to get after getting dehydrated after the 21K run. Plus, I had decided I want to learn to run while drinking water so stitches neither scare nor bother me during races.
As is my recent practice, I jogged as warm up for about 300m to the gate. It was still kinda dark when I set off. I decided not to struggle through the first 4K and took it easy knowing that I had been careful not to overdo things this last week and knowing the strides I did on Thursday and other days would allow my legs to be quicker when I wanted them to be quick. This route has a hilly first 10K but more so the first 4K, so I decided to start conservatively as my legs warmed up. My legs still felt cold and stiff and asleep.
So this is how it went for the first 4K: 6:33, 6:07, 6:06 and 6:09.
Then things evened up a little and I decided to jack things up. As you can see from the elevation below, its uphill until the 10.2Km Mark.
Nonetheless, I started upping the tempo from the 5K onwards.
5:34, 5:26, 5:26, 5:30, 5:38, 5:34 Wah! I was glad to see the splits and also how I felt. There is a hill at the 9Km, just past Karen hospital, it has been kicking my butt every Saturday. Without fail I always cover that section in 6:XX. Today, my legs still felt light and I ran it the fuck down. Check out the terrain below.

Then I started going downhill. Somewhat.
5:23, 5:31, 5:34
At this point, I saw a group of about seven scattered runners on Ngong road racing towards Karen. It had both fast and slow people. I wished I was in that race! But they were going the opposite direction. So bypass it was.
5:46 (There is a humongous hill here where the Bypass starts from Ngong road), 5:36, 5:23, Kick that fucker!
5:17, 5:33, 5:31.
Kick it, gaddemit we still have energy!
4:49, 5:14.
Total time, 1:57:51.
Now I am officially sub-elite. No?
Here is Geb and Yuki Kawauchi in a press conference for the Tokyo Marathon today.