There is one word that describes my half marathon today and that word is AWESOME! First off, it's all women!! No offense to any guys out there, but running with all women is very exciting and fun. Secondly, the weather was perfect, pretty chilly before we started running, but just great when we got going. And then there's the course, which is mostly all downhill and my favorite race course ever.
As some of you know, I was planning on running the full marathon today, but then with a month left to go, decided that I wasn't quite ready to run the full and put that off until next year. So, I wanted this half to be my best, but wasn't sure I could pull that off as July and August were not the best running months for me with how hot and humid it had been here. I really didn't know what to expect. I told Chris to be there after the 2:10 time and hopefully I could finish around there or just after that.
I was up bright and early (at 3am!) to get onto the bus at 4am. We left just after 4:15 and I sat by and met a really nice girl, Kristy, and we chatted as the bus rolled on. When we got up there, we headed to the bathrooms along with the 300 other people who were also there. The line was long, but moved pretty quickly and then we still had over an hour until race time. I have no idea why we got there so early, but it was fun to meet a few other women and hear their stories of running. Finally it was 5:45 and time to get to the start line. After one last porta potty stop, we got in line and pretty quickly started counting down from 5 and we were off. And it was about then that I realized that my Garmin had not located the satellites yet!! So, I had no idea how fast I was going, but the pace felt good so I just went with it. I knew it was faster than my training runs, which was good; I was just hoping I could keep it up. I started the Garmin at the 2 mile mark and when I got gotten to the 3rd mile, I ran a 9:30 mile. WHAT??? I couldn't believe it! I don't run under 10 minute miles EVER! But I still felt good so I kept it going. My Garmin decided to lose it's reception soon after that and came back on pretty quickly, but it wasn't caught up to where I was so I stopped it and reset it at the 5 mile mark. That mile went by very quickly as it was a water stop and time to take my gel and when I saw the 6 mile marker, I looked down to see a 9:15 mile!!! Oh my gosh, I am going faster than I was before?! So I kept that pace for a another mile and I felt really good. When I got to the 8 mile marker, I look to see how fast that mile was and to my astonishment, I had run an 8:50 mile! I didn't know that it was even possible for me to run that fast!! I guess that gel had kicked in! Now, I just had 5 miles to go - less than an hour and I would be done. This race was just flying by me! After the 10 mile mark, I got pretty tired and slowed down my pace a bit, running a 9:35 mile. It felt like an eternity until I saw that 11 mile marker. The next mile, I was even more tired, but now I was determined NOT to run over a 10 minute mile. I just had 2 more miles to go - I could do this! That mile was a bit slower at 9:40, but that was just fine with me. I finally get to the 12 mile marker and then I knew I could finish this race without walking and without running a mile over 10 minutes. That mile went by really fast (I ran it in 9:30) and then I could see it - the blessed 13 mile marker! Just one little .1 of a mile to go. I crossed the last bridge before the finish line and I saw the clock tick to 2:05:00 - I seriously almost lost it then - I ran 13.1 miles and it's not even 2 hours and 10 minutes yet? That was the time that I thought I could have run at my very fastest! I didn't think I could actually even do that! But here I was, finishing at 2:05:12!!! Lots of nice people were cheering us on to the finish and I listened for my family, but didn't hear my kids yelling like I usually do. After getting my medal, my rose, and my lemon scented towel, I walked to my car to get my phone and see where they were. Of course, by then, they were at the finish line, but they had gotten there 2 minutes late and missed me finish! Of course this is my own fault as I told him that I wouldn't finish any faster than 2:10 and they would have been there for that. :) But that means that there is no picture of me finishing!!!! So, I will have to wait and see how the professional picture turns out and maybe get one of those. But overall, it was the greatest race ever!!
I finished 98th overall (out of 370) and 20th in my age group (out of 42). I took 25 minutes off of my time at the same race a year ago and I took 11 minutes off of my previous PR that I set at my June half marathon. It really is unreal to me still. I feel pretty good, a little sore, and a lot tired. I'm thinking a nap is in store for me this Sunday afternoon! :)
As some of you know, I was planning on running the full marathon today, but then with a month left to go, decided that I wasn't quite ready to run the full and put that off until next year. So, I wanted this half to be my best, but wasn't sure I could pull that off as July and August were not the best running months for me with how hot and humid it had been here. I really didn't know what to expect. I told Chris to be there after the 2:10 time and hopefully I could finish around there or just after that.
I was up bright and early (at 3am!) to get onto the bus at 4am. We left just after 4:15 and I sat by and met a really nice girl, Kristy, and we chatted as the bus rolled on. When we got up there, we headed to the bathrooms along with the 300 other people who were also there. The line was long, but moved pretty quickly and then we still had over an hour until race time. I have no idea why we got there so early, but it was fun to meet a few other women and hear their stories of running. Finally it was 5:45 and time to get to the start line. After one last porta potty stop, we got in line and pretty quickly started counting down from 5 and we were off. And it was about then that I realized that my Garmin had not located the satellites yet!! So, I had no idea how fast I was going, but the pace felt good so I just went with it. I knew it was faster than my training runs, which was good; I was just hoping I could keep it up. I started the Garmin at the 2 mile mark and when I got gotten to the 3rd mile, I ran a 9:30 mile. WHAT??? I couldn't believe it! I don't run under 10 minute miles EVER! But I still felt good so I kept it going. My Garmin decided to lose it's reception soon after that and came back on pretty quickly, but it wasn't caught up to where I was so I stopped it and reset it at the 5 mile mark. That mile went by very quickly as it was a water stop and time to take my gel and when I saw the 6 mile marker, I looked down to see a 9:15 mile!!! Oh my gosh, I am going faster than I was before?! So I kept that pace for a another mile and I felt really good. When I got to the 8 mile marker, I look to see how fast that mile was and to my astonishment, I had run an 8:50 mile! I didn't know that it was even possible for me to run that fast!! I guess that gel had kicked in! Now, I just had 5 miles to go - less than an hour and I would be done. This race was just flying by me! After the 10 mile mark, I got pretty tired and slowed down my pace a bit, running a 9:35 mile. It felt like an eternity until I saw that 11 mile marker. The next mile, I was even more tired, but now I was determined NOT to run over a 10 minute mile. I just had 2 more miles to go - I could do this! That mile was a bit slower at 9:40, but that was just fine with me. I finally get to the 12 mile marker and then I knew I could finish this race without walking and without running a mile over 10 minutes. That mile went by really fast (I ran it in 9:30) and then I could see it - the blessed 13 mile marker! Just one little .1 of a mile to go. I crossed the last bridge before the finish line and I saw the clock tick to 2:05:00 - I seriously almost lost it then - I ran 13.1 miles and it's not even 2 hours and 10 minutes yet? That was the time that I thought I could have run at my very fastest! I didn't think I could actually even do that! But here I was, finishing at 2:05:12!!! Lots of nice people were cheering us on to the finish and I listened for my family, but didn't hear my kids yelling like I usually do. After getting my medal, my rose, and my lemon scented towel, I walked to my car to get my phone and see where they were. Of course, by then, they were at the finish line, but they had gotten there 2 minutes late and missed me finish! Of course this is my own fault as I told him that I wouldn't finish any faster than 2:10 and they would have been there for that. :) But that means that there is no picture of me finishing!!!! So, I will have to wait and see how the professional picture turns out and maybe get one of those. But overall, it was the greatest race ever!!
I finished 98th overall (out of 370) and 20th in my age group (out of 42). I took 25 minutes off of my time at the same race a year ago and I took 11 minutes off of my previous PR that I set at my June half marathon. It really is unreal to me still. I feel pretty good, a little sore, and a lot tired. I'm thinking a nap is in store for me this Sunday afternoon! :)
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