I'm Not Gloating!

Sunday my guy and I ran the Mission Inn Half Marathon.

Monday he asked me if I had already blogged about it.

 

I think he was trying to brace himself.

 

I'm not gloating......but I beat him.

Not by seconds, not by a minutes or two, but by 6 1/2 minutes.

 

 

 

My plan was to run the half marathon in 2 1/2 hours. I wanted to break that 2 hour 30 minute mark. I know that's pretty slow for all of my fast running and triathlon friends, but my run is slow, but go.

Just this time, well, I wanted to go a little faster.

 

 I think Robert's plan was to run the race together.

 

Before the start of the race a lot of people were running all around warming up. We didn't. I told Robert I was just going to use the first couple of miles as my warm up. My plan was to let everyone run right on by me and I would jog/walk until I felt like my legs were warmed up. Then I would run as fast I felt I could sustain the effort without getting out of breath.

 

I was wearing my Aquaphor shirt, but it was so chilly, that I had layered a flannel shirt and a pullover sweatshirt over all of it. I dumped the sweatshirt at Mile 1 and the flannel at about Mile 2.

 

Robert and I took off at the same time.

The first quarter mile we pretty much ran together and then he began falling behind. I wasn't in a hurry, so I kept looking back and slowing down to let him catch up. He must have thought I was getting a little far ahead of him because at about Mile 1 he ran past me REALLY REALLY FAST!

 

 

 

I just kept up my pace and it wasn't too long before I caught up with him and ran past him. At about Mile 2, I pulled up and walked so he could catch up with me.

 

"Do you want me to hang back and run with you," I asked him.

Now that I think about it, that was a silly question. What was he going to say?

 

He loves me, so of course, he said, "No, don't wait for me."

So I didn't.

My legs felt pretty good, so for the next 3 miles I ran REALLY REALLY fast. I was having fun and I even zigzagged in and out of the orange cones along Redwood.

Man, running in and out of the cones made running seem FUN!

Yeah, I love running, I was telling myself.

 

I kept up a pretty good pace and was passing lots of people until we hit the bike trail by Fairmount Park. I had been dreading running along here. I love biking along here....I ride along at 18-20 mph and I know there is a Starbucks at turnaround part of the trail.

This was not going to be at my turnaround at the run.

 

 

At my least favorite part of the trail, I stopped pulled out my cellphone (yes, I run with my cellphone) and took some pictures.

 

 

 

It is just boring along here, looking at the back of people's houses and you can't even see into their tiny yards because of the big block wall....BORING!!!

And at about 6 miles per hour, there is a lot of time to look at the back of the houses.

BORING!!!

 

I ran on, every once in a while looking back to see if I might see Robert.

 

 

I took a picture of my time at the Mile 6 marker, and you are just going to have to trust me that it says 1:04. I was really happy with that, considering all the messing around I had done (taking off my sweatshirt, then my flannel shirt, waiting for Robert, taking pictures).

 

I felt hopeful that I would meet my 2 hour 30 minute mark.

 

I keep running along and at about mile 8 I saw my friend Orietta coming the other way on the trail. She is fast (she finished in 1:57). We waved at each other.

I walked through all the water stations.

FINALLY, I was at the turnaround.

 

I had probably ran about 1/4 mile when I saw Robert heading toward the turnaround. We waved at each other. I thought about waiting for him, but a little voice in my head said, "Keep going!!!!!"

Good thing I listened to that little voice.

 

About mile 9, my right knee started to tighten up.

I walked 25 paces and ran 100 paces.

Repeat.

At mile 11, I was walking 25 paces and running 50.

My knee was getting tighter.

I looked at my watch.

I had been running (and some walking) for 2 hours.

I had 30 minutes to finish 2.1 miles.

DOABLE!!!!

 

By mile 12, I was walking 50 steps and running 25.

It seemed like the time was ticking away and the end of the street was not getting any closer.

 

I finally was getting near the final 1/4 mile and I heard, "left, right, left ,right."

A group of firefighters ran past me in formation.

 

 

This was not the group, but it was SIMILAR. The firefighters were wearing helmets.

 

There were two ladies sitting on the side of the street enjoying the procession. I walked by them and said, "I think I can run after that."

 

And I ran in back of firefighters all the way to the finish line.

My watch showed 2 hours 27 minutes.

My chip time was 2:26:51.

 

Robert finished shortly after me.