Another Unlikely PR--Half Marathon!

You have to admit, I hang out with pretty awesome people. In this group there is an amazing trail runner and aspiring ultra runner, a spin instructor, a multiple- triathlon and road race veteran, and one who races 5Ks to 50Ks. And I'm not telling who's who. And then there's me...who was getting ready to take on half-marathon #5. But I think it's obvious...I hang out with cool people. And on this day, one did the 8K race and the other four (myself included) did the half-marathon.

You will notice my socks...I had just returned from camping and had about 50 mosquito bites all over my body, so those socks served a purpose. Plus, they are my daughter's old fast pitch socks, and they feel like compression socks. I now believe they make me faster--ha!


This race was not on my to-do list for the summer; however, on this day I was supposed to do my 12 mile run as my last long run before my half marathon on Aug. 3rd. Well, what's one more mile, right? So I decided I was in, and I would treat this as a training run. After my debacle at the local half just three weeks prior, (the dehydration run as I remember it), I was very nervous. At the starting line I told one friend that if this was a disaster, I may never run a half marathon again. My strategy was to just run a slow and steady race and not bonk out like I did at the 10K the previous weekend. I would also utilize all water stops, which I did--except the last one. I had been awake since 1:30 am...I wasn't sure how this would go.

So the race started, and already, I had to pee. Seriously? I just went! I've been told I drink too much coffee before a race, but on this day, there was no way I could function without my coffee. After the first mile I saw a lady come out of a door...ah, three doors there, all bathrooms. All locked. Well, shoot...I wasn't waiting. That mile ended up my slowest of the day, all because I went back to check those doors. At that point, I decided I'd gut it out as long as I could.

There were some long inclines, but really only 1 or 2 hills that I can really remember, and they were doable. I continued running between 10:20-11:00 min pace the entire race. My old PR was 2:22:04, and I bonked at mile 9 at that race because I started too fast. But on this day, I remember looking at my watch at mile 7 and thinking, wow...I actually feel pretty good! But between mile 9-11, it's a blur. I know I slowed way down, and I lost some time on a hill. Somehow, I missed the sign for mile 10, and I got a little disoriented. I checked my watch, and I was at 10.5 miles! Wow...I was looking at a PR if I could keep this up. I wouldn't hit the 2:20 or under, but I could come in under 2:22. At mile 11, it was all downhill, thank goodness! At mile 12, it was flat, and I was DONE. I hadn't run past 11 miles in my training, and today was supposed to be 12 miles, and truly, I would have been OK with that. So I think I shed some tears and gutted out that last mile, and I finished.

My time was 2:20:58. Another unlikely PR. Two of my friends also PR'd that day. I'm definitely the slowest of the half-marathoners, but they keep me around anyway; and for that I am thankful, humbled, and blessed.

And yes, it was a good day, and yes, I will run another half-marathon. In one week actually...yikes!