FIRST HALF MARATHON RACE REPORT

 Half Marathon Race Report 5-15-11:

 

As the weatherman predicted, the weather was miserable.  It was 45 degrees and threatening rain when we left the house at 6.30 am.  Since I checked in the night before not much to do at the race sight but use the bathroom and stretch before the gun.  About 30 minutes before the race started I took off my wind pants and jacket and put on my race belt and running pack with water bottle.  I made a bottle of Perpetuem and had a bottle of gel on the belt.  Now in training, I usually just have water in the bottle, and have never used gels in running.  My longest run up to this point has only been 9 miles and usually don’t need any extra nutrition.  But at the last minute, I chickened out and took the belt off.  I have heard horror stories about people trying new nutrition/food before or during a race with disastrous results.  So I took the belt off and decided to live off the course.  We were told there would be plenty of water, PowerAde and gels on the course. 

 

I headed to the start line about 20 minutes before the race started, got stretched out, and shivered, a lot.  Finally at 7.30 the gun goes off and with a narrow road and nearly 500 people, it took nearly 75 yards before we were jogging.  We went another 100 yards and the pavement turned to a gravel road.  Nice.  Anyways, the next mile or so of gravel roads had some, not to much loose dirt/gravel and lots of potholes to dodge, but made it through it without turning an ankle, and now back to pavement.  Once we got back to the pavement the field started to thin out, found some hills, found my pace and settled in for a long haul.  For the first 10 miles I was able to keep a 9.35 pace.  The course was all city streets, winding through Papillion.  After the first 3 miles the next 8 miles was pretty flat with the exception of one big hill (up and down).  This hill was at approximately the 8 mile mark and now I know why I have read about runners training running down hill.  This hurt.  I was starting to get sore, was starting to worry about my left foot (the ball of it started bothering me at the half way point) and running down this hill was killing my groin.  HMM I thought, maybe I need more hill training.  DUH.  So anyways, back to the flats for the next several miles.  About mile 10 was the aid station that was supposed to have the gels, and as I go by they are taking the table down, all out. Great. Take some more water and power on.  Now the rain sets in.  Wonderful addition to the day. 

 

At the 11 mile mark the wheels started coming off the bus, quicker than I could pick the pieces.  My left foot felt like I was running on bed of  nails, my legs were beyond hurting.  I was way past my longest training run of nine miles and it started to show.  The rain was seriously starting to **** me off, and I wanted to strangle the person who planned the race course.  The last two miles was nearly all up hill and a couple of the peaks were not nice at all, pretty brutal for end of the course.  But I dragged on.  Got to the top of the last hill and I was a quarter mile from the finish line and it was all flat from here.  My time went from 9.35 pace at mile 10 to now a 9.59.  A guy that I had paced with most of the day asked where we were on pace and told him we needed to pick it up to keep us under 10 minute miles at the end.  We started pacing each other at about the 4 mile mark and stayed with each other the entire race.  We both had similar goals, 10 minute miles and no walking.  So we picked up the pace, ever so slightly, that’s all that was left.

 

I finished the race in 1 hour 11 minutes and 38 seconds.  I was able to keep my pace under 10 minute/miles, 9.59 to be exact, and I did not walk one foot of the 69,168 feet (or 13.1 miles).  Overall place: 337 of 483.  Age group: 60/73.  Male: 173/218

 

Who would have ever thought that in a year and half, I would go from a 460 lb couch potato, to half marathon finisher?  Wow, if I do say so myself.

 

 

ROY

Mazel Tov Roy! I'm so happy for you. It sounds like there was a lot of obstacles thrown at you yet you powered through them all and came out the victor! What a true athlete. Your first half will always be with you. It's amazing how far you have come in the last year and half. Wonderful report.
Congratulations!
Jan

 Way to go...You sure did power through, that is what it is all about...I have my first 1/2 this weekend and I really needed to read all of these race reports!!  I won't finish as strong as you, but I WILL finish!!!

Congrats on a job well done!!!!

That sounds like an incredible pace considering all the cir****tances! Congrats! Truly inspiring!

Way to stay strong!

Congrats on this major accomplishment!!

 sorry all, that is supposed to be 2 hours 11 minutes finish time.  Im not that good.

ROY

 Congrats Roy! What a great race report.  I just love reading all of them they are so inspiring. 

 way to go man, that is a great run!

Uber proud of you bro... That is awesome... And to come in under 10's avg is stellar! Well done bro

Great job!

Congrats

Scott