3M Half Marathon
Today was probably the most fun race of the season, the 3M half marathon. Although Decker is my favorite race, this one is a close second due to its downhill, easy course. The weather was almost perfect for the race with temps in the 40s at the start, clear, cool, and a light wind. My goal was to run under 1:35 and my stretch goal was to do the same time as Decker 1:33:30. I got up at 5AM and drank most of a 34 oz. bottle of Gatorade Endurance at home. I loaded some extra clothes at the last minute and then headed up to Gateway. I hit the port-a-potty for a deuce and then found some of the group for the warmup. We did about a 2 mile warmup with drills and then I ran back to my car to change. I stuck with my plan to run in a singlet. I ate a carboom and drank the rest of my Gatorade. I found a tree, dropped my bag off at the bag check, and jumped into the chute. I found some of the Gazelles, but not Kelly or Diana.
The race went off a little late at 7:10 and we couldn't hear the national anthem or any introductions due to technical difficulties with Evil's truck. The gun went off and it took a bit to get to the starting line. The crowd was really thick so I picked my way through for the first mile or so. We climbed up to Braker and then headed across to 183...that's where it broke loose a little bit. I found Marci at that point and we stuck together for a few miles. We headed down 183 and onto Mesa Drive where it really picks up. It is like a little chute through there that is really downhill through Spicewood Springs and onto MoPac. I wasn't feeling so hot through the first 5 miles at all, but kept plugging away. It usually takes me a few miles to get going and mentally I am learning to manage the hard times better.
Mile 1-5 Splits - 7:45, 7:26, 7:14, 7:15, 7:14
We got through the little section along Great Northern, the relay transition area and then to Burnet Road for the start of some more downhill sections. There are few slight up hill parts, but for the most part it is downhill or flat. We were limited to one lane in this section so the traffic was a little hard to maneuver through. There were many people running 3 across so you had dodge the cars to get around them. I started to get into a good rhythm through this section. I have been trying to get a fast turnover going ever since I met Dave Hill in Tucson. It seems to be working for me. I finished the Burnet section and got onto Medical Parkway to 34th Street where there is a little hill that I used to think was a mountain. Sometimes I think the Gazelles should be the Mountain Goats since we all seem to love hills.
Mile 6-10 Splits - 7:10, 6:27, 7:23, 7:13, 7:21
Note: I think the Mile 7 split was a little short, but I think the mile 8 split made up for it.
Once I got onto Guadalupe it was time to "drop the bomb." I didn't think I had anything to drop, but I got into a really good cadence and went faster. I had a couple of my fastest miles in this stretch. Thon caught me at the North end of campus, but I broke away once we passed the University Catholic Center and St. Austin's. I did a quick sign of the cross for each church and then took off. I didn't see Thon until the finish line. I was passing many people during the last few miles and didn't seem to slow at all as we climbed up to 12th street. I made the turn and saw Carrie ahead of me. She was having an awesome race. I tried to catch her, but she accelerated as well as we swept into the chute. She ended up getting me by 8 seconds. I crossed the line in 1:34:16 which was a new half marathon PR for me.
Mile 11-13.1 Splits - 7:15, 7:12, 6:42, :40
I grabbed a bottle of water, my medal and just started to jog a bit. I did a little loop for about .25 miles and then came back to find Jay and some other folks. We did another .75 miles and headed back to get our stuff and get some food. I grabbed a breakfast taco from Rudy's, checked the results (I ran 7 minutes faster than last year and still finished 8th in the Clydesdale's). I had to run some errands so I got into the bus line and headed back to the top.
All in all it was a great day. I have major confidence heading into Freescale and I need to keep my intensity up for the next 3 weeks and just run my race on the 19th. I PR'd by 3:32 over the Indy half last May and my pace was only one second slower than my fastest ever 10k. I feel really good!
The race went off a little late at 7:10 and we couldn't hear the national anthem or any introductions due to technical difficulties with Evil's truck. The gun went off and it took a bit to get to the starting line. The crowd was really thick so I picked my way through for the first mile or so. We climbed up to Braker and then headed across to 183...that's where it broke loose a little bit. I found Marci at that point and we stuck together for a few miles. We headed down 183 and onto Mesa Drive where it really picks up. It is like a little chute through there that is really downhill through Spicewood Springs and onto MoPac. I wasn't feeling so hot through the first 5 miles at all, but kept plugging away. It usually takes me a few miles to get going and mentally I am learning to manage the hard times better.
Mile 1-5 Splits - 7:45, 7:26, 7:14, 7:15, 7:14
We got through the little section along Great Northern, the relay transition area and then to Burnet Road for the start of some more downhill sections. There are few slight up hill parts, but for the most part it is downhill or flat. We were limited to one lane in this section so the traffic was a little hard to maneuver through. There were many people running 3 across so you had dodge the cars to get around them. I started to get into a good rhythm through this section. I have been trying to get a fast turnover going ever since I met Dave Hill in Tucson. It seems to be working for me. I finished the Burnet section and got onto Medical Parkway to 34th Street where there is a little hill that I used to think was a mountain. Sometimes I think the Gazelles should be the Mountain Goats since we all seem to love hills.
Mile 6-10 Splits - 7:10, 6:27, 7:23, 7:13, 7:21
Note: I think the Mile 7 split was a little short, but I think the mile 8 split made up for it.
Once I got onto Guadalupe it was time to "drop the bomb." I didn't think I had anything to drop, but I got into a really good cadence and went faster. I had a couple of my fastest miles in this stretch. Thon caught me at the North end of campus, but I broke away once we passed the University Catholic Center and St. Austin's. I did a quick sign of the cross for each church and then took off. I didn't see Thon until the finish line. I was passing many people during the last few miles and didn't seem to slow at all as we climbed up to 12th street. I made the turn and saw Carrie ahead of me. She was having an awesome race. I tried to catch her, but she accelerated as well as we swept into the chute. She ended up getting me by 8 seconds. I crossed the line in 1:34:16 which was a new half marathon PR for me.
Mile 11-13.1 Splits - 7:15, 7:12, 6:42, :40
I grabbed a bottle of water, my medal and just started to jog a bit. I did a little loop for about .25 miles and then came back to find Jay and some other folks. We did another .75 miles and headed back to get our stuff and get some food. I grabbed a breakfast taco from Rudy's, checked the results (I ran 7 minutes faster than last year and still finished 8th in the Clydesdale's). I had to run some errands so I got into the bus line and headed back to the top.
All in all it was a great day. I have major confidence heading into Freescale and I need to keep my intensity up for the next 3 weeks and just run my race on the 19th. I PR'd by 3:32 over the Indy half last May and my pace was only one second slower than my fastest ever 10k. I feel really good!
posted by Paco at 7:18 PM
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