A half marathon
located seven miles away just has to be run.
Its local, it’s cheap and this year they had ladies cut tech
shirts. But just like this past spring I found myself
in a mileage dilemma. My training
schedule called for 22 miles. This time
through I am really committed to running my long runs as they are on the
plan. I want to run the full number not
just two twenty milers. I know it has
been said that you can race a hard half and call it a day but this time I was
determined.
So on Sunday I got
up at 5:30 and headed over to pick Beth up at her house. Or as it is known on that day, “Mile
Nine”. We arrived early and headed in to
pick up our packets and then back to the car to chat. We had nearly two hours until the start. My
plan was to do a three mile warm up, run the race and complete the remaining
six miles after the race. I headed over
to the track to run for about a half hour and then back to the car to get Beth,
hit the potties and jog around the start.
We squeezed our way between the 8 and 9 minute pace signs. I told Beth she should have no trouble with
her sub two hour goal and we were off.
This year the race
started with the 5k started at the same time.
This made for some initial congestion but was necessary as they had to
temporarily close down a major roadway for the 1200 runners to cross. Luckily it broke up sooner than I thought it
would and after the first mile we split.
It’s funny how
race adrenaline kicks in and makes your race pace feel right. The two mile marker was the first one I saw
and I was amazed to look down at 16 minutes exactly. The miles clicked by and I found myself on
the familiar shaded roads near the little league ballpark my boys play at. I have run here many times during long
practices. I took a gu at mile 5 (really
8 for the day) I don’t usually take anything during a half but I kept my total
mileage in mind. With each mile marker
my pace continued in multiples of 8. I
was maintaining my PR pace and I felt great.
Around mile seven I was in full sun.
I had decided to try to run without my fuel belt during this race
because I knew there were plenty of water stops. I was taking either water or Gatorade at each
station. So far so good. No regrets about not wearing the fuel
belt. I kept thinking about my pace. How am I able to maintain it? How does my body keep it consistent? How many miles left? Just after the nine mile marker I looked up
and saw Beth’s family. All four of them
decked out in their Sunday best; Jets jerseys.
I gave them a huge wave and soldiered on to the final four miles of the
race. I started to doubt my ability to
maintain my pace. I knew I had time in
the bank but I really wanted that PR. After
the eleven mile marker we headed down a residential street for a short out and
back to make up a bit of mileage due to the course change. I found that annoying so close to the end of
the race.
Random thoughts
like “why the hell do I do this”, popped in and out of my mind. I could feel the salt from my sweat drying on
my face. I gave the last two miles everything I had and kept telling myself
that I had less than 15 minutes of running left.
As I headed down
toward the finish I saw that a PR was a possibility. The reality was I was one second slower! I was
kind of disappointed since I thought this course was not as hilly as Danbury
back in April. Was it the warm
weather? Was it my recent increase in
treadmill running? I did not let myself
dwell on it but it is something to consider.
A 1:46:58 Half
finish is still a great time!
I collected my
medal, downed some Gatorade and walked back to the car to send my family a text
and get out of my sneakers. I made it
back to the finish just as Beth crossed the finish at 1:59:35! Mission
accomplished!
We grabbed some
food and then I dropped her off at home.
Back at my house the boys were up and ready to go. I still had those six additional miles to
consider and as it turned out I would find myself back on the race course just
outside the ball field during Mikey’s practice that just a few short hours
later. A very choppy 22 miles but
completed nonetheless!
Thank Goodness I
work at a Public school and had the next two days off because man was I tired. And my legs well, they were shot !
