So I’m linking up today with Amanda for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.

Every time, I run a half marathon, I like to look back at my previous half marathon races.

I can’t believe that this will be my 15th.  And 10th after my ankle surgery.  (So Dr. Ortho, I can run again!!)

My first and BEST was the Naples Half Marathon in January of 2011.  My goal was just to finish and I did in 2:28:27  (gun time, no chip timing).

I immediately registered for the 1st annual Lake George Half Marathon in April of that year.  Unfortunately, I had to run in sleet & freezing rain for 13.1 miles & without my Garmin. My time was 2:22:39 (gun time, no chip timing) and a PR until 2014.

Out with strained Achilles for 6 weeks during the summer of 2011 delayed my training for the Adirondack Half Marathon  (so I walked the 2nd half of the race.) I finished in 2:44:59. It was still fun because I was running it with lots of friends.

Again impulsively, I decided to sign up for the inaugural Fall Foliage Half Marathon as a training run.  This was my hilliest half but I finished in 2:32:50.

My goal race of that year (2011) was the Santa Clarita Half Marathon that I was running with a friend in California.  This time it only poured for half the race and I finished with a disappointing 2:30:12.

After 5 half marathons in 2011, there were NONE in 2012. (The year of the broken ankle & foot stress fracture.)

My next Half Marathon, the First Watch Half Marathon in Sarasota, Fla came in 2013 16 months after serious ankle surgery and 5 months after a foot stress fracture.  I was just glad to be running again. The course was beautiful, my friends were waiting at the end and I was happy with my 2:33:59 time.

The Mohawk-Hudson Half Marathon in the fall of 2013 was supposed to be the one where I would be seriously training and hopefully get a PR. Then I broke my foot. With a late start to my training and my weekly miles not what I would have liked, again this half marathon was just “I’ll be happy to finish.” So I did in 2:24:14. I enjoyed it since it was my first half where I slept in my own bed the night before.

The Vermont City Marathon Relay on Memorial Day weekend was an unplanned race. Although, my finish time of  2:25:24 was slow, I thoroughly enjoyed the race and sharing it with AJH.

The Walkway Half Marathon was my 5th of 2015. I was looking forward to running this inaugural race and especially to seeing this new and highly publicized bridge. I had not trained much since April, overslept and ran without my Garmin so I was not disappointed with my time of 2:25:53. And I enjoyed the course.

Now to my upcoming race…

The Roll N Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon is an inaugural race so there are no race reports to read.  I have no idea if it is flat or hilly. (I have heard that Prospect Park has hills but not as bad as Central Park. )

There will be a few first in this race:

• First Rock N Roll race
• First out of town race not staying near the start (have to get a bus & subway)
• First time using Airbnb instead a hotel or a friend’s place
• First race with waves
• First really big race
• First race in NYC
• First race wearing Hokas

I’ve been looking forward to this race for a long time and it’s finally here. Look who else is running this race!!

Here are my Goals:

A. Finish under 2:18:33 (making it my 2nd fastest Half)
B. Finish Faster than my previous half (under 2:25:53 )
C. Finish under 2 1/2 hours
D. Beat my slowest time (under 2:44:59)
E. Enjoy the race and Finish uninjured 🙂 

 

And what will I wear?

baseball cap, SkirtSports skirt (Tantrum pattern), Hoka shoes, compression socks, shirt TBD (depends on the weather which seems to get worse everyday.)

 

Happy Running! Anyone else running this race? What’s on your mind this Thursday?