3rd half marathon in a years time, when it wasn't all that long ago I couldn't run A mile. I'm injured. It's hot & humid. I just want to get this over with.
Races all over the place were deferring due to the heat. My calf was still not 100%. I didn't have any stellar long runs. I was all about finishing. My goal was a 12:00 pace and not to be slower than my first half (2 hours 41 minutes).
Things were fine. It was hot (have I mentioned that?). CJ, my partner, wasn't feeling great{GI issues}. We stayed together for the first half, broke up at a water station around mid point where she waved me on.
At mile 8, I ran into Lisa from MIT. I was hurting. Not necessarily my calf, just over it. I kept telling her that I was just so hot and was praying for a towel. "I can't get the sweat off my face". Then I say the most motivating thing I could think of "at least we only have an hour left". Yeah, I should write a book.
Water stations were simply rinsing my face. I couldn't cool down and there was just nowhere for the sweat to go. How does a Florida girl hate the heat so much? Oh yeah--A/C and stay the frick inside where you belong.
From here, I have no idea. Except I knew there would be a hill. Let's get this shit done. No PR, just not a DNF.
I really tried to stride the downhill finish, funny how tired you are after 2 1/2 hours in the humidity. I just didn't have it in me.
I didn't have any cheerleaders for this race, so the whole thing was a blur. CJ's family was at the beginning and end, but I didn't see them until I had crossing the line. I told her hubby that we split up and she should be about 5 minutes--she was exactly five minutes behind me. We didn't have any problems finding each other, surprisingly since the after party was f'n packed! The calcium chocolate given to me must have been poison, because it nearly took me out. I must remember to stick to bagels & bananas in the future :)
I am blessed with great friends from MIT, including Mandy who was blessed with some lungs that allowed her to scream for me on my downhill stride. I meant to smile or wave, I'm not sure either happened. My mantra is always "don't puke, you'll embarrass yourself". Then it switched to "Holy Shit, Mandy's done already?". Not that she wouldn't be done, but done enough to get photos, eat, visit, then find a place to watch the rest of the finishers. Yeah, she PR'd.....
The Swag
The Details
The Course:
My bib: 5224
6383/8062 overall
My chip time: 2:35:38, 11:53 pace
My Garmin time: 2:35:41, 11:48 pace, 13.20 miles
My splits:
1 - 11:38
2 - 11:35
3 - 11:33
4 - 11:38
5 - 11:39
6 - 12:02
7 - 12:03
8 - 11:45
9 - 11:44
10 - 12:23
11 - 11:31
12 - 12:02
13 - 12:18
14 - 9:17
See ya on the run!
