This was my first impromptu half marathon. (well, may be 2nd.)

I wasn’t planning on running one in the summer.  It is too hot.

Then 3 weeks ago, I registered. Crazy!

I knew nothing about this inaugural race except for what the website said:

The Half Marathon course starts in with a lap around the Peerless Pool Parking Lot, turns right on East West Road, and then right onto Geyser Loop Road. The course then turns left to run a lap around the SPAC Parking Lot and returning to Geyser Loop Road. The course then turns left on East West Road, left on North South Road, and continues onto Roosevelt Drive. The course then turns onto the path on Avenue of the Pines, turning right on the path to head south beside Route 9. At Crescent Avenue the course moves out to the breakdown lane of Route 9 and continues south to East West Road. The course turns right on East West Road returning to the front entrance of the Peerless Pool Parking Lot. The course then continues for a 2nd full lap. After the 2nd lap the course turns right into the Peerless Pool Parking Lot finishing with a lap around the parking lot.

And I wasn’t happy about running a repeat lap. It also seemed that you were running around parking lots too much.  Not very appealing!

Anyway, I got my 10, 11 and 12 miles training runs in and but not the taper.  I just hoped that I would finish and it wouldn’t be too painful.

I also was a little nervous because my foot was bothering me this past week and prayed that this race wouldn’t make it feel worse.

As a result, I knew I would be taking it easy.

Yesterday after picking up my race packet, I decided to continue north to spend the day on our boat and hang out on the lake in hopes of taking my mind off the race.

I had a good time and relaxed but I did think about the race… a lot.

Everyone hung out having dinner by the water, watching the full moon and FIREWORKS!! I, on the other hand, drove home.  Racing does cut into one’s social life.

This was the first race that I have ever run that I considered not going.  

I had been feeling under the weather for the past few days. (It’s virus like a cold sore that I get on my arm periodically & when I get it, you’ll have a fever & feel like you have the flu. So that’s what I had, Great timing, huh?)

So I felt lousy when I got up but I felt guilty about paying and not going so I went.

The race was to start at 7:30 am so I left around 6:00 am. I got there early enough and since it started in the park, there were real restrooms. (Always a plus.)

Rain was in the forecast for later in the day today. That meant that there would be a lot of humidity – Not my favorite weather for running.

But I hate rain worse so I was not complaining (yet.)

I bumped into Jen, a fellow local blogger, Christine, a professor when I work and another runner, Valerie, that I know who was running the 5K.  It’s always good to see a familiar face.

There were about 500 racers so not a big one. The race started on the grass and then proceeded to wind around the park.

It was advertised as “fast and flat.”  It was not.  There were several hills and they repeated.  At first I ran up the hill but that didn’t last.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel well the whole race.  By the first 1/2 mile, I was walking and that continued the whole race.

I drank water at all 6 water stops.  Unfortunately, the water had a weird after taste which made me VERY nauseous.  I also ate a GU at miles 4, 8 and 12…that made me feel worse.

 

The course was pretty nice…the park is pretty and shaded for most of it.  It wasn’t even as bad I thought having to repeat the loop.

The biggest problem was the humidity and even though the race started at 7:30 am, it was already over 70 degrees.

Yes, I though of quitting many many times but I just took it one step at a time.  But when you are not running with the faster runners, you see a lot of them walking which was not motivating me to run.

As if things couldn’t get any worse, I developed a blister around mile 5…ouch!

I finished the first half of race at 1:06:00 which wasn’t too bad considering how I felt.

If I could finish strong, I could PR.

Well, that didn’t happen.

The whole second half of the race, I was running near a tall athletic looking guy who was doing the Galloway run/walk thing.  And in the end, I did beat him.  Also I was running near a very enthusiastic young lady who tried to motivate me to run saying we could finish together.  We did not.  She just beat me.

So I dragged myself across the finish line at 2:26:00.

Christine & Valerie were there cheering me on.

It’s not my worst half marathon finish time but it is slower than my last 2 halfs and I am not injured!!

After I was done, I hung around for awhile because I started to feel dizzy…like I could pass out.

I was beginning to think that I was going to get sick.  But I didn’t and eventually I felt well enough to drive home.

Believe it or not, I won 2nd in my age group.  ( I am not proud to admit that there were only 2 of us!)

So running a half marathon in the summer may not have been the smartest idea for me.

I think next year, I’ll do the 5k.  They got the same medal and beer glass!!!

Race Splits:

mile 1- 9:50
mile 2 – 9 :39
mile 3 – 10:25
mile 4 – 11:04
mile 5 –  10:57
mile 6 – 11:03
mile 7 – 11:43
mile 8 – 11:06
mile 9 – 12:22
mile 10 -11:57
mile 11 -12:00
mile 12 -12:04
mile 13 -11:25
.10 – 7:22

You can see the downward spiral.

Goals:

• Finish uninjured. YES! My foot felt fine 🙂
• Not finish last. YES!
• Have fun.  Well, that’s debatable.
• Finish under 2:30:00 – YES!

Happy Running! Are you running a half  this summer?