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Race report: First half
I was told to run this half (Capital City) for the "bling" since it's the bicentennial so I ran my first half exactly 1 year after I ran my first 5K. My sister and FBIL were also running so we went together but they are much faster so we didn't run together. The race start/finish was moved this year for the race to end in the new city park and it was a fight to get to the corrals. I ended up not getting time to stretch like I wanted and my back was tight.
It was 64 and 100% humidity when I left the house so I was really concerned but the sun never came out and we would get hit by the occasional cool wind which was such a relief.
It was a struggle to pace myself for the first couple of miles (thank you, Garmin!) but I was finally able to settle in around mile 2. My runs last week had been tough so I was thrilled to feel good running and I was able to really enjoy myself. I took my gels on time, walked through the water stops, and enjoyed the mostly flat run. Then at mile 4 my right hip started to bother me which I'd never had issues with before so I was surprised.
I saw my cousin at mile 6 and I hit the slightly downhill 3 mile stretch and enjoyed everything. Then I hit mile 8 and it just got tough. My hip was getting worse and I was chafing on an arm (I body glided my legs but not my arm b/c I'd never chafed on my runs before wearing the same clothes. I had to laugh at myself). We made it back downtown and had tons of people yelling for us and it was great only to run back out of and hit no crowd support at all. At one point, some guy said, "I feel like I'm running away from the finish line!" I had to admit I'd been thinking the very same thing.
We hit badly paved roads and then brick roads (I was so afraid of twisting my ankle) and I was fighting my hip/thigh at each step by now. I tried to stretch it but that hurt too bad so I just sucked it up and made myself keep running. I had a friend at the last water stop so I just kept thinking about water stop at 12.4. Then I could see the finish line and it seemed so far away! I just kept trudging and hit the last hill and started talking to the young girl beside me who had been struggling the last bit too to get us both up it. I saw a few more friends before I hit the final stretch. At this point, I was running by myself so people were yelling for me and I told myself I had a sprint left in me for these people and off I went.
I finished in 2:42:02. I was thrilled. I felt good enough at the end I knew I would've had a great race if it wasn't for my hip. The medal was huge, heavy, and definitely worth every step. Thanks for reading my long report. :-)
Re: Race report: First half
Congrats on finishing your first half, that's a big goal to reach!
Hope your hip feels better!
Awesome job!! I did my first HM yesterday too!! Feels great doesnt it?
Way to go!!!
GO! St. Louis Half Marathon-2:32:13
Omaha Half Marathon 9.23.12