USAF Half Marathon - 2hrs6min16sec

So I wussed out from not training very much this summer and changed from the full marathon to the half. I'm glad I did, otherwise I'd still be laying on the side of the road. Kaden and I drove down on Friday afternoon to pick up my packet and attend the pasta dinner at the USAF Museum. The food was pretty good and the speaker from Runners World Magazine was great.

After a long night at Laura's sister's house with no power and a partially inflated air matress, I made it to the run over an hour early after a bagel and coffee at Panera. It was nice to have plenty of time to warm up and stroll around before the race started at 830am.

The race started and I told myself that I'd try to keep my BPM around 140. About a half mile in, I was already pushing 150 and so I told myself I'd stay in the 150's. About a mile in, I was already in the mid-160's and running up hill. It was not to be. The entire race had me in the 160's, 170's and occasionally higher. Oops! The route was quite hilly compared to the other two half marathons I've done (Columbus and Cleveland). It was through the USAF Museum, Fairborn and WPAFB and back.

I felt great and was moving well for the first ten or so miles. The last three were miserable. My HR felt very high, my legs felt heavy and I just couldn't keep a good breathing rhythm. I almost walked a few times but could practically see the finish line from almost two miles away. (Air Force bases are big and flat.)

Anyway, I ended at 2 hours 6 minutes and 16 seconds for a pace of 9:38/mile which is a PR. Sweet. As much as I dread the race as it comes up and am in pain during the race, within ten minutes after I finish I'm already thinking about the next one I can do. Columbus is in a month. I should be there.