Hill difficulty gets broken up by a fun roll through old town Fair Oaks in this segment. Here's Tim Twietmeyer's advice on how to run this stretch.
MILE 8-9
Fair Oaks Boulevard and Sunset Avenue.
Topography: Rolling hills as Fair Oaks winds right then left.
Tim's Tips: "You just need to put your head down and grind if the weather's not cooperating. This is when you take advantage of some of the time you picked up earlier in the race (on Oak Avenue). Don't get too worried yet if you're not right on the pace."
Sights: Fleet Feet Sports hosts an excellent aid station at Madison. Crest of hill at the New Life Community Church, where parishioners cheer.
MILE 9-10
Fair Oaks veers right briefly to become Winding Road, returns to Fair Oaks with quick left-right-left turns into 10-mile mark in Old Town Fair Oaks.
Topography: Rolling hills, mostly uphill into Old Town.
Tim's Tips: "It's not until you get to 9 1/2 where you start to see the nice general flow down into Fair Oaks, where you can relax and glide out a little. You start to zig zag here, but it's actually easy running. You can gather some momentum. Downtown Fair Oaks is a blast. It's a place to reenergize, plug yourself into the wall for a minute, and when they spit you back out, you're crossing Sunrise (mile 10) and back into the rolling hills again. There's a little uphill through town but you won't be noticing it because you'll be watching all the people. It's like getting one free hill."
Sights: Bands, cheerleaders, poultry and breakfast diners cheer you on.
COMING MONDAY: Miles 10-12
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