So here I am, 8 months since my first 5k race and I have completed a half marathon is quite a respectable time as far as I am concerned; 2:21:55. Thank you! :)
I couldn't have asked for better conditions during this race. It was a beautiful morning, very cold for Florida this time of year (40-50's), but great temperature for a run especially with the sun shining and no wind. From what I have heard the wind along Bayshore Blvd. is historically awful for this race. I guess I lucked out for my first time.
I got there at 5:45am with my gentlemen friend (the ex who is trying to win his way back into my heart; getting up at 4am to cheer me on in a race is a pretty good start). With his high tech camera in tow we made our way down to the start/spectator area. He wished me luck and probably made some smart @$$ remark (it's in our nature), however, it was too early for me to react.
As we parted ways I ran into another family that I know from my local YMCA, great people and always smiling. It was a good pre-race pick-me-up to chat with them for a moment. After, I made my way down to where all of the pacers were holding up their sticks with goal times attaced. I chose to run with Pacer Gabby; goal time 2:20; pace 10:40. I chose this time becuase this was my first race over 3.1 miles so I didn't want to over shoot my abilities. In all actuallity, I wanted to finish without having to stop to walk (MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!).
As I stood there with this group of strangers, some of whom had run several half marathons, I became more and more confident in my preperation for this race. I thought to myself, you can do this, you have been training for months and you can do this. I loaded up on GU and took some water with it becuase those things are gross with out a sip of water to wash it down. The normal pre-race announcements that only the people in front can hear were made and the national athem was sang. Then the gun went off and we started moving like a heard of cattle.
It took about a half mile for us to get to a point where we were doing more then shuffling our feet over cobblestone streets in the dark. We made it to mile 1 and were on pace! Pacer Gabby said that this was a rare thing to be on pace the first few miles becuase of the crowd; I guess it's because we were a bunch of Bad A$$e$! :)
A few miles into the race it hit me, this is a race unlike any other I have ever done! I've done lots of 5k's and even competed in my first triathlon last October, but this was different. The energy from the runners around you and the idea that we are all in this together was very prevalent. What amazed me even more was the people that could have stayed in their nice warm beds in the neighborhoods we ran through decided they were going to get up and cheer thousands of runners on! How much more encouraging can you get?!? There was one gentlemen that was all over the place during the race, I must have seen him 3 or 4 times; the final time I gave him a high five and thanked him for cheering everyone on.
When we made it to the half way point we had to go through the finish line. As we did this a car forced everyone to the right becuase the first runner was finishing...FINISHING?! Yeah that's right, I took an hour and 11 mins. to complete half and this guy was finishing the race (in 1st place needless to say). As I ran through I saw my man friend cheering me on, it was really nice of him to come and do that for me, my own mom wouldn't even get up for this.
So we went through Tampa's downtown area and up a hill (by Fl standards, this was a hill). That was a challenge, but I made the most of it on my way down. Pacer Gabby was doing a great job of keeping us on pace and making us laugh while doing so. Thank goodness for Pacer Gabby! By mile 10 I had a small burst, but just couldn't keep it up. I soon realized that I should have maybe eaten a bit more for breakfast, GU can only go so far. I was just so excited that I didn't feel hungry after I ate my bananna and handful of frosted mini-mini-wheats. However, in my first 10 miles I had stayed on pace well enough that it was ok I had to slightly back-off and ended up not missing my goal time by very much.
When I finally saw that finish line all I could do was sprint for it...this was the end...I was almost there. I passed countless runner in my all out sprint in my last 200m and cross that finish line with all the pride in the world! I proudly accepted my finishers medal becuase I worked damn hard for that thing! Got my picture taken by the photo man and found my man who took some picture that I do not have to pay for! :)
I couldn't believe I had finished, I made it across that finish line and reached my goal of completing a half-marathon. Something I said I would only do once...yea, I'm a liar! I have to do this again, I want to relive that experiece! I have my eyes set next year on two halfs...Gasparilla in Tampa and up to run with my cousin at the Pittsburgh Half Marathon!
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