Sometimes things just fall into place perfectly. If you asked me to describe my perfect weather for running, I could not have come up with much better than the weather on Sunday morning. Conditions at race time were clear, fifty degrees, low humidity, and no wind...perfection. Saturday night was also the night to "fall back" so we were able to cash in on an extra hour of sleep....more perfection. We left our house early, as usual for a race morning, but due to the time shift it was already starting to get light out.
We arrived at Norbuck Park in plenty of time to mill about, chat with friends, and shiver a bit in the cool morning air. I was satisfied with my clothing choice for the day--shorts and a short sleeve shirt, but I was wishing that I had some gloves because my fingers were cold! This is a big race and it is remarkably well organized for a race its size. There were lots of things to see and do in the park while we waited for the start.
I love the starting line of a big race, you just can't find that kind of energy anywhere else. I have several running friends on Daily Mile and had the pleasure of meeting one of them in person near the start. Erik and I lined up between the 1:50 and 2:00 pace groups and soon we were off. I got off to a great start and settled into a comfortable pace. It was such a beautiful morning and I felt as if my lungs went on forever--so easy to draw a deep, deep breath. I dreamed of these days in August when the heat and humidity were so oppressive.
I ran with Erik for the first three or four miles and then he slipped away into the crowd. He was looking strong and I felt sure that he was going to have a great race. I have run this race two times before today and knew that the middle miles would hold the biggest challenge as they are fairly hilly (not Tyler or Austin hilly, but challenging none the less). I took the hills one at a time and didn't feel too challenged by them, being familiar with the course sure helps with game day strategy. I celebrated every mile marker because I could see that I was hitting each of them in less than 9 minutes. I hit mile 7 in 1 hour exactly and was THRILLED--I hit mile 7 in an hour during my PR race back in May. This just confirmed to me that I was on the right track for a great race. There is something magical about a PR (or near PR) race--it seems easy and hard all at the same time. It is hard to explain, but it is a feeling that keeps me coming back for more.
Thanks for the pic, Libby!
I was happy to see White Rock Lake and knew that I was in the last five miles of the race at that point. It was so nice to see Libby cheering and taking pictures just before mile 9. I was not surprised when she shouted out that Erik was looking strong. Seeing a familiar face always gives me a boost and that was just what I needed at that point. Miles 10 went by fairly quickly, but miles 11 and 12 were tough (as always). Sometime during mile 11 I felt a wave of fatigue wash over me. My legs suddenly felt like lead and I wanted to take a break more than anything, but I fought the battle inside my head and carried on. I knew that a PR was still within reach and that the end was getting near. Fortunately that feeling quickly passed and I was focused on a good finish. As I reached the home stretch, I saw that a PR would be just out of reach but I was working hard to get as close as I could. This race has a great finish with a big crowd cheering along both sides of the road. When I rounded the final corner I dug deep and sprinted in the last few yards.
I could not wait to hear how Erik did and was amazed when he told me that he finished in 1:49:04. The Kennemer Household Half Marathon Record of 1:51:35 had been SHATTERED! Erik brought it and has set the bar high for us this time! We enjoyed the rest of the morning milling about in the park talking with friends, celebrating, and taking pictures.
Running Friends--Kylee, Toni, Ben, and Liza
My official race time was 1:52:50...a new course record! A little off of my half marathon PR of 1:51:35, but I am quite proud of the effort. My PR came on a very flat course and I had the help of a wonderful pace leader to guide me through those tough final miles. This race was on a challenging and hilly course and I did it all by myself. I ran my first half marathon on this course in 2008 in 2:25:21 and I ran this course last year in 2:00:26--not bad progress! This completes my goal of ten half marathons in 2010...thus the Perfect 10. I have one more half marathon on the calendar, the White Rock Half will be here in early December. White Rock is a favorite of mine and I have had lots of success there in the past. Maybe it is time for me to take a shot at the Kennemer Household Half Marathon Record.
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