The start looked a bit cold and dreary with drizzle and a sharp wind off the lake. I had a black long-sleeved base layer shirt, a yellow short-sleeved shirt over that, and my blue and gray rain jacket over that as I entered the start corral. Since David and I did not plan to run together, he was a bit further back in the pack.
As I started my 13.1-mile trip, I spotted my parents right away. My dad, recording me with my Bloggie camera, was full of his usual enthusiasm, and so was my mom. I handed off my rain jacket and made my way south with about 4,000 people in my party.
The Early Going
Miles 1-5: 8:00, 7:50, 7:40, 7:53, 7:44
Having run a 10-miler last summer at 7:30/mile pace and a 10K last fall at 7:19/mile pace, it seemed reasonable that I could complete a half marathon at 8:00/mile pace. In the first five miles, I felt pretty comfortable at a pace slightly faster than that. A wind from the north helped push me along a bit.
My only concern at this point was my choice to wear the black base layer shirt. With the rain subsiding and temperatures slightly warming, I attempted the somewhat complicated task of removing both shirts, separating one shirt from the other, and replacing the yellow shirt while maintaining my pace. I did fairly well, though I did drop the black shirt at one point, requiring a very quick stop, pick up, and restart. It was just my luck that I saw my parents less than a mile after I completed the stunt, so I wasn't hanging on to the black shirt for long.
The Midgame
Miles 6-10: 7:58, 8:00, 8:12, 7:58, 8:03
The course took a predominantly northward turn toward Carthage College, putting the wind in my face. I was still able to keep my pace pretty well. One of my aid station walks was a bit longer than usual as I pulled out a pack of sport beans and gulped down an extra cup of water. With the cool temperatures, I didn't need to drink all that much, but I still wanted to avoid cramping up after solid or semi-solid fuel intake, like the lime Accel Gel I downed at the 9.5-mile mark.
Before long, I reached Carthage and the turnaround point, excited for the mostly southerly journey to the finish that remained.
Zooming Home
Miles 11 to finish: 7:14, 7:18, 6:59, 0:38
Much like my effort at the Lighthouse Run last year, with the finish line getting closer and still feeling strong, I decided to 'drop the hammer' and make a strong push, not wanting to leave a bunch of extra energy in the tank at the end.
I saw my parents at the 11-mile mark. My mom offered me the bottle of blue accelerade that I had prepared before the race, but I didn't need it. I gave a thumbs-up sign, knowing I would see them again soon at the finish.
At mile 12, the half marathoners turn back to the north to the finish while the full marathoners continue south. While my final mile was against the wind, it didn't slow me down at all. I was passing runners left and right. A personal record was certain at this point -- it was only a question of by how much. The finish arrived quickly. I waved to my parents, raised my arms in triumph, and smiled for the finish line photographers as I heard my name announced over the loudspeaker. I'm not exactly sure what a 'runner's high' is, but it might feel something like I felt at that moment.
Finish time: 1:41:27
About half an hour later, I recorded David's finish. He crossed the line in 2:13:35. While that's not a personal best for him, it was an improvement of eight minutes from a half marathon he ran seven weeks ago. Way to go, David!
I am now super-excited for the marathon in Minneapolis in four weeks. Can I set another personal best?
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