Cowtown Half: The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway

I have had some interesting adventures in Cowtown over the seven times that I've run the half marathon: 25 mph wind and freezing temperatures, hip pain, the worst traffic jam ever during which I kicked Mr K out of the car while we were still on the freeway, and a few years of warm temperatures and high humidity.  All that being said, this one might have been the most interesting one to date.  On Friday morning the snow started coming down and it didn't stop until the late afternoon.  The Cowtown folks were quick to announce that Saturday's 5K and 10K races would be cancelled.  The temperatures were supposed to get into the 40s on Saturday and I assumed that the half marathon, marathon, and ultra would be no problem.  However, the forecast was wrong and temperatures hovered around freezing all day on Saturday.  We received word on Saturday evening that the marathon and ultra were cancelled, but everyone was welcome to run the half marathon.  I can't imagine how devastating this decision must have been for the Cowtown staff and I'm so grateful that they still gave us the chance to run the half marathon.  I know that some extra hours were put in on Saturday night to insure that we had a safe course on Sunday morning.

Special race, special shirt (Pic: Stude)

I was especially looking forward to this race as it was my 50th half marathon.  Mr K made a special race shirt for me and I was looking forward to wearing it with lots of pride. We spent the night at Marci and Fred's in Fort Worth and arrived super early to the race.  There was a good crowd for the half marathon and we saw lots of friendly faces before and after the race.  It was a cold as we waited for the race to start and I was glad to finally get moving.  I wasn't sure what the day would hold and I decided to cover up my watch and just run.  Mr K slipped away during the first couple of miles and went on to have a super strong race.

Happy To Be Moving! (Pic: Jesse)

I've never raced with snow on the ground before and it was pretty surreal to pass through the park where we run El Scorcho each July.  I have never seen it that way and I thought about all of the sweat I have spent in that park. What a sight!  The spectators were few in number but their spirits were super high.  No doubt they had the hardest job as standing still in the freezing temperatures is way colder than running in freezing temperatures.  I made an effort to thank all of the police officers along the way as they were standing out in the cold to keep all of us safe.

Post Race w Andy, John, Mama C, Mr K, Stude, & Mark O (Pic: Andy)

Every year I'm reminded of how much I love the Cowtown Half course.  They really do a great job showcasing the best parts of Fort Worth.  Running down the cobble streets of the historic Stockyards is a highlight of my running year.  By mile 5 I knew by now that I was not on pace for any records and I tried to enjoy the experience.  I got lots of great comments on my special "50th Half" shirt - sure kept a smile on my face.  Imagine my surprise when I heard a train whistle just before the famous hill at mile 9.  A quick glance to my left and I saw that a train would be crossing the race course very soon!  I sprinted over the tracks before the arms came down and in plenty of time to beat the train.  Yet another thing I have never seen in all of my 50 half marathons!  I was glad that I made it over the tracks in time because I could not imagine standing still to wait for the train to cross.  Too cold to stop moving!

Mr K rocks some post race hair (Pic: Stude)

After climbing the Main Street hill at mile 9 the course winds around through downtown Fort Worth - another favorite of mine.  I felt a little bit sad when we passed mile 10 as that is where the marathon would have split off from the half.  I can't imagine how I would feel if my marathon was cancelled.  I was starting to feel tired and ready to be done by this part and focused making the most of the downhill near mile 11.  I never really felt cold during the race, except during the long stretch of the Lancaster Avenue bridge.  While I love this course, the last mile is a tough one mentally.  The buildings around the finish line are visible from here, but you still have to run around a long block in order to get to the finish line.  My legs felt so heavy and dead and I felt like I was crawling by this point.  The finish line is the best sight!

While it was far from my strongest race, I was happy to see the consistency in my splits especially considering that I ran this one totally by feel: 5K - 9:15, 10K - 9:15, 15K - 9:17, 20K - 9:19, finish - 9:16 for a final time of 2:01:30.

Smiles all around! (Pic: Mama C)

Post race brought dry clothes, plenty of friends, the most delicious burger ever, and some terrific live music.  We were all thankful for the opportunity to run and be together on such a cold and dreary day.  Running fifty half marathons has given me many things: medals, race shirts, PRs, strong days, struggle days, and many adventures....but the post race feeling of satisfaction and sharing it all with Mr K and my friends is what will keep me coming back for fifty more.