This past weekend was the Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon that I’ve been training for since the beginning of August. I finished in 2 hours and 11 minutes.
Originally I had signed up for the 2 hour and 30 minute finisher group and realized during my training that I knew I could finish before that. I ran comfortably at a 9:45 minute/mile pace—even during my long runs. So I switch to the 2 hour and 10 minute pace group and tried my hardest. Coming in 1 minute behind the 2 hr 10 min mark was a very small let down because I really wanted that 1o minute mark, but considering the course and the fact that I actually ran 13.86 miles, I was okay with it. According to my Nike+, I hit 13.1 miles at 2 hours and 4 minutes [whoa!]. The course length is calculated on the shortest run inside of the route, so you have you stay on the inside of any turns. I just need to learn to keep those turns tight and to not get on the outside, which is where the extra distance/steps came from.
Check out the course—it felt like there was a turn every other block, which was my biggest complaint about the whole course. The change in elevation was minimal compared to what I thought it would be, even the 3 mile gradual incline between mile 6 and mile 9. I wasn’t the only runner complaining about amount of turns in the course—we were getting bogged up and it was causing all of us to slow down. The reason for so many of the turns? “To see some of the premier neighborhoods in Saint Louis.” Psssh. Have the people from Solutia actually visited the area of town between mile 1.5 and mile 5? Nothing is there. It is far from being a “premier neighborhood.” You can click on the image to make it bigger
Tim thought it was necessary to snap a couple pre-race pictures. So here I am all excited [and nervous], and about ready to go join the other people in my race corral. It was only 7 AM at this time.
Then Tim told me to give him my “race face.” Naturally, this is the face I made… Intimidating, huh?
I medaled! Actually, everyone that finishes gets a medal. I look better in the picture than I did in real life…sweat doesn’t look pretty on anyone.
Let’s get a close up of that medal… even the arch has sparkles in it. I pretty much wore it for the rest of the day Sunday.
Overall, it was a good time. It was certainly a good challenge for a first timer. My legs are feeling it today, especially my thighs—I didn’t not run as many hills as I should have during training. However, I’m glad that I added about 1 mile every week to my long runs during training. I got up to 11 miles during training. I’m not sure I would have have been prepared to run the half marathon if I hadn’t added a mile every week. I would definitely consider doing more half marathons…just not a full. At least not yet 🙂
—m.
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