DRC Half: Happy Half-A-Versary To Me!

Early November is a special time as it holds two very special anniversaries for me.  On November 8, 2003 I married Mr K and on November 2, 2008 I ran my first half marathon--the DRC Half.  This is likely the leading reason that it is a favorite race of mine and a highlight on my fall running calendar.  I will never forget that first half marathon four years ago, I was such a rookie runner and would learn so much in the following years.

PreRace with Mr K, Mark O, and Felix (thanks Mark L!)

I had spent a large part of October recovering from the Chicago Marathon, and I had no structured training coming into this race.  I had declared October "MK runs because it is fun" month and had enjoyed my recovery.  I had only reintroduced speedwork into my training the week before.  Since I was coming into this race "playing with house money" I allowed myself to follow an unorthodox race plan--that being "haul ass until the wheels fall off".  I promise you no running magazine or training plan would ever recommend this approach, but like I said, I had nothing to lose.

PreRace with EW and Mr K (thanks EW!)

The DRC Half is a good sized race and Mr K and I enjoyed visiting with many frunners while we waited for the race to start.  The weather was nice enough, a little cool, and certainly better than the heat and humidity we had last year. We lined up near the 1:50 pace group, which filled me with dread because I knew that my race plan would likely include some pain (you KNOW those wheels are going to come off sometime).  I started with Mr K but he soon slipped from my sight as he went on to kill the race and score a big PR for himself (1:46:54).  My splits show that I was indeed "hauling ass" in the first 5 miles (8:10, 8:10, 8:20, 8:31, 8:14).  The middle section of this race goes away from White Rock Lake and is fairly hilly--for Dallas standards, anyway.  I think that this is reflected over the next few miles, along with the fatigue that comes from my fast start (8:36, 8:37, 8:56).  Around mile 8 I had started to realize that things were about to get really difficult and I ducked into a porta potty for a quick break before carrying on my journey.

Wheels Off! (Thanks Mama C!)

After ascending the worst hill ever last hill before mile 9 we are back around the lake for the conclusion of the race.  This is both a good and bad thing, as I do the bulk of my long runs here and have fought many battles along these shores.  The good thing is that I know every turn and just how far it is from point to point.  The bad thing is that I know every turn and just how far it is from point to point.  I got a huge boost from our bike cheer squad (TPG, Ninja, Heidi, and Brian) as they seemed to pop up just when I was looking for a friendly face.  It was also great to see Mama C hanging out somewhere around mile 11.  This is where I shouted to her "My wheels have come off!" and it was true, as my splits illustrate (9:09, 8:47, 9:12).  After passing Mama C I started to realize that I was closer to the end than I realized and that I still had a chance at a time I could be very proud of.  I passed Rick in the last bit of the race and took comfort when he said I was "looking strong" and only a kilometer to go. These cheers helped me to the end and I finished up with a slight improvement (8:59, 8:57, 7.28 for last .1ish). I ended up with a respectable 1:55:28--my second fastest half marathon time this year. I was so happy to see Elaine who was handing out finisher medals. 

Green Sparkle Bling!

I would never recommend this approach to anyone because the wheels are going to come flying off at some point and when they do it is pretty miserable.  I am, however, glad that I tried it and would not change my experience on this race day.  I wanted to see just how far I could "haul ass", it gives me some direction for future training and helps me see my big goals a little more clearly.

Postrace with Cherry and Elaine (thanks EW!)

The finish line at DRC Half is a great scene and Mr K and I enjoyed sunshine, frunners, free pizza, and free beer.  I am surrounded by some pretty talented runners and several in our group scored some impressive PRs at the race.  When I ran my first half in 2008, I had no idea where this running thing would take me or the friends that I would make.  That day was the first of many events that would change my life in such a positive way.  Days like this one remind me of just how lucky I am.