Runner Coug
04-21-2008, 07:42 PM
Ran it on Saturday. It turned out ok. My plan after my disastrous half two weeks ago was just to come in under 2 hours this time.
I should have lined up farther back at the start, because I got caught up in the wave, and found myself running a 7:45/mile pace for the first three miles. I have no business running that fast for anything over a 5k, and I definitely paid for it later. I was good until about 9 miles, my overall pace was about 8:19/mile, and then I hit the wall.
I've never had to walk during a half marathon, but I had to take brief walk breaks starting at about mile 9. So my pace kept getting slower and slower. With about 3/4 mile left in the race, I was pretty much spent. I was walking a lot, and all of a sudden someone slapped me really hard on the back, which woke me up from my funk. I looked over and it was a girl from my office. So I started running with her, and we did the 3/4 mile at a 7:50 pace. She really helped me out a ton. She's a good runner, she finished in the top 6% of all women in the half.
Anyway, I finished in 1:53. Six minutes slower than last year, which kind of bugs me, but I was much better about running through the winter in '06 than I was last year. This was also a good lesson about not starting out too fast. I tried to hang on the last 4 miles, but just couldn't do it. Gotta get in better shape.
I should have lined up farther back at the start, because I got caught up in the wave, and found myself running a 7:45/mile pace for the first three miles. I have no business running that fast for anything over a 5k, and I definitely paid for it later. I was good until about 9 miles, my overall pace was about 8:19/mile, and then I hit the wall.
I've never had to walk during a half marathon, but I had to take brief walk breaks starting at about mile 9. So my pace kept getting slower and slower. With about 3/4 mile left in the race, I was pretty much spent. I was walking a lot, and all of a sudden someone slapped me really hard on the back, which woke me up from my funk. I looked over and it was a girl from my office. So I started running with her, and we did the 3/4 mile at a 7:50 pace. She really helped me out a ton. She's a good runner, she finished in the top 6% of all women in the half.
Anyway, I finished in 1:53. Six minutes slower than last year, which kind of bugs me, but I was much better about running through the winter in '06 than I was last year. This was also a good lesson about not starting out too fast. I tried to hang on the last 4 miles, but just couldn't do it. Gotta get in better shape.