I have learned so much about running and racing in the two years since this first half marathon. It is fun to take a moment to look back at all of the events of that day. I remember that day so well--it was warm for November (I think that the high was around 80) and I was so wide-eyed and nervous! I had just been running since early summer 2008, and had only run four races heading into that day--the longest race being a 10K. This race is a big one too, the biggest that I had run at that point. There are some real running super stars that come out for this half and I was amazed at all of the different kinds of people I saw. I had no doubts that I could run the distance and run it in a decent time. I fully believe that quality training always pays off and if you train well you will run well.
Soon enough we were off and the energy of the race and the crowd carried me for the first couple of miles. I made my first rookie mistake--making a pit stop early in the race. I have since learned that the lines are longest for the porta potties in the early miles. I lost several minutes waiting in line and now make a point to go a couple of times before the starting gun (TMI maybe?). I didn't really have any time goals for this half marathon, but when I caught up with the 2:30 pace group I made the decision to stay ahead of them.
This race was in early November 2008, mere days before the presidential election and it was so cool to see signs for Obama and signs for McCain side-by-side in neighboring yards. Just one of those odd things that I will always remember, each race seems to have them.
Post Race and My First Medal!!
Miles ten, eleven, and twelve were the hardest for me because I was reaching the upper ends of my training. These miles were around White Rock Lake, the site of my weekly long run, so it was nice to have that "home field" advantage mentally. I made another pit stop and took full advantage of the water stops.
I felt so proud and happy when I crossed the finish line. My time was decent for a rookie--2:25:21 and I immediately set a goal to break the two hour mark sometime in 2009 (mission accomplished in December 2009!). I was on such a high for the whole next week and carried my medal to work to show all of my friends. I thought that it was funny that my friend Sylvia wanted to take so many pictures of me and my medal, but she had her own plan in mind. They surprised me with my very own Wheaties box! This is still one of my favorite running souvenirs and I display it proudly on a shelf in my office at work.
No doubt that I was hooked and the half marathon became my favorite distance. It is hard to believe that I have run sixteen of them and will go for number seventeen this weekend! Another chapter in this amazing journey is soon to be written....stay tuned!
I was the race director of the race in '08, and it still remains the record biggest year of the running of that race when we had about 4,500 entrants! It was a fun race to direct, but a bear of a race too, with so much work and hours involved, so I'm always happy to hear when some of that hard work turned into someone's memory this couple years later. :-)
ReplyDeleteOur paths have been crossing from the beginning! I love how everyone in the running world is somehow connected. A belated thanks for all of your hard work on that race (and others since), it really is a great memory for me!
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