My day yesterday started at 3:30am. I took tylenol pm and managed to be asleep around 9:30pm and slept fairly well. Got ready, got psyched and got on the road.
I got the Infantry Museum at Fort Benning where the race started and it was still dark and very cold. 32 degrees cold, but more on that later.
There was tons of parking at the Museum and I went in to get my bib/swag. I apparently put that I wanted a “small” shirt. I don’t recall doing that, but then I thought the shirts were men’s small so it could work. Turns out they were gender specific. My small does fit. It’s short and snug, but I could get away with a long sleeve compression shirt under it and hopefully fit into it for real soon. Oh and using the Museum bathrooms were cluth. TONS of clean stalls and I was able to how should I put this “completely empty my tank” which was a concern of mine. I went back to the car to drop things off and go back in the museum to stay warm because it was FREEZING.
The race was starting at 7am (earliest start I’ve had in a while – not event taking into account the time zone change). I wore my I heart Sweat tech tee and compression capris. I like wearing clothes I’m comfortable in and I’ve never raced in long sleeves. However I was VERY cold. In fact I couldn’t feel my butt cheeks until maybe mile 10 or 11. My arms were also very cold. I was worried about having to pee since I was really sweating, but I ended up limited my water intake and I didn’t need a potty break while running.
I was hoping and planning on a PR, but I REALLY wanted to go sub 2:10. I figured out my pacing and was watching my splits closely. To start the race I stayed a few meters behind the 9:33 min/mile pace group – I was trying to stay close to 9:50-55 min/mile. The 9:33 pace leader did the first mile about 10 min and they sped up a bit. I wanted to go out slow and have a negative split. I even planned my playlist to start with slower songs to keep me from going out too fast. There were a few hills on the course, but mostly very flat. There were TONS of Army men and women out on the course cheering for us which was great (even though I wanted to cheer for each of them and their service). The course was through the base and on a river walk which also went through a water treatment plant so miles 8-10 smelled vile like someone shit their pants. I kept looking for a runner who had an accident, but I later found out it was indeed the water plant.
My legs felt great and my pacing was pretty good. I had one mile that was 10:24 and no matter what I did during that mile I couldn’t knock time off it which pissed me off. My garmin and the mile markers were off. I feel like each mile got progressively long by a touch which was throwing off too. I took three 30-60 walking breaking as I downed my gu. At the 10 mile point I knew sub 2:10 was reasonably within reach and for miles 11 and 12 I played Eminem’s Lose yourself on repeat because it’s pace kept me at around 9:30-:40 min/mile. I was giving the last 5K all I had. I pushed harder each K. When my Garmin ticked 13 miles the finish was still nowhere in sight and I was approaching 2:09 AND A HILL. I was pissed. I felt my legs start to lock up, but I was grinding the ground with all I could muster. At 13.1 on my watch I was 2:09 and some change. Then the finish line finally came into sight. I knew I wasn’t going to be sub 2:10 and I was really pissed – I’m SURE my finish line picture will clearly illustrate that. My garmin had the course at 13.22 miles.
Regardles my previous half PR was 2:12:59, so 2:10:35 was a pretty stellar finish. The fact that my unofficial time of 13.1 was under 2:10 is good enough for my piece of mind. I hope to post my splits and stuff on here soon.
After the race they had massage tables and the line wasn’t bad. Mainly because it was only a 1200 person race and 600 of them were marathoners. You guys the 10 minute massage ROCKED MY WORLD. My legs and booty were SO thankful for that. I’m also thankful for my cool dog tag-esque medal and we got commemorative coins (it’s a military tradition) for the race.
Half marathon #4 is in the books!
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