Back to it

This afternoon after work I will be going out for the first time since Sunday morning. I am going to run 4 easy miles and try to take it easy. Even though my legs really needed the rest I have felt extra lazy the last couple of days.

DeLeon Springs Half Marathon

This morning I ran my second half marathon in three weeks. I was fine and running to plan for the first 4 miles, and then I started to get fatigued and started slowing down. I knew that I would not match my Jacksonville time at the half way point, but I figured I would finish just under two hours. I was wrong. Between mile 7 and 8 my stomach started hurting, I ran as much as I could, but for the first time ever in a race I had to walk. It stopped hurting when I was walking, but every time I ran it would hurt even more. I walked /ran through to mile 9 and I toughed out that one and ran all the way to mile 10. Then I had to walk more. Except for having to stop and tie my shoe between mile 12 and 13 I was able to jog most of the way home to finish in 2:10:47. A disappointing time, but I was very happy to average 10 minute miles with the way I was feeling. I knew that everyone eventually has a bad run and this was mine. Next year there will be only one 1/2. I only have 5 and 10k's coming up so I shouldn't have any more trouble. Steve on the other hand had a great run, finishing in 1:53:30 and bettering his time from Jacksonville.


Here is video of my finish.

Results

Easy run

Steve and I ran a real easy 5.8 miles yesterday. The legs were a little stiff after the race, but they loosened up nicely by the end of the run. I am planning to run a bit harder this evening.

The professional pictures are up from the race. Click here, and I am considering ordering at least one to commemorate my first half marathon.

This is the race data from my Garmin 305.

Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon

Finally the race day I have trained and waited over 6 months for finally got here. Steve and I were up early at 4:50 to catch a bus from the hotel to the race site. I was able to get on the bus before Steve, but it was the last time I was to be ahead of him until the race was over.

While training for this race I kept improving my times until I was able to run 13.4 miles in just over 2 hour and 8 minutes. I was hoping that I would be able to beat 2 hours in the race, but sometimes things happen and what you hoped for gets dashed on the rocks of life. So after over 1000 miles and 171 hours of training I took off with over 2000 runners at 7am-ish. 13.1 miles and 1 hour, 56 minutes, and 45 seconds later I crossed the finish line. The race was the hardest thing I have ever physically accomplished. My mile times during the last three miles were not great, but they were good enough to meet my goal. I did finish 44th of 104 in my age group, and 376th of 1300 half marathoners. There were over 800 full marathoners and we all started at the same time. Now that I finished what I started last December, am I done? Nope. Even though immediately after the finish I told myself that I would never do that distance again, I am going to register to run a half marathon in Deleon Springs, Florida on January 6, just three weeks from today.

Oh yea, Steve beat me by 1 minute and 36 seconds.

December 1st 10K race

Ran a 10K last Saturday and it took only 50:59, over 5 minutes faster than my first 10K. I found a good training program in the latest issue of Runner's World and I am going to implement it after the Half in January.

I got my Garmin 305 yesterday and I am going to start using it this afternoon. It will be an invaluable tool in my never ending search for fitness and speed.

I promise more updates, more often.

My first ten mile race

I finished in 1:25:08 officially, and kicked my 1:30 goal right in the ass.

Mile Splits according to my watch
1 - 8:17.8
2 - 8:17.4
3 - 8:35
4 - 8:33.8
5 - 8:37.2
6 - 8:41.4
7 - 8:27
8 - 8:33.1
9 - 8:25.6
10 - 8:38.9

AVG 8:31


I started out to quickly, but it did not really hurt me. Once I slowed my pace in mile 3 I ran fairly easy and was actually chatting with another runner. It was a very nice run and I am looking forward to the half next month.
I finished 21st of 26 in age group bag.gif , but 116 of 257 overall. For some reason there were a lot of fast runners in my age group. Steve did beat me by 30 some seconds, but he was ninth in his age group. Those slow old farts.

Also the times are all gun times, Steve and I started about 10 or so seconds from the official start line. So unofficially I beat 1:25.