My first Half Marathon!
That's me in the picture above, waiting in line for the big walk to the starting line. Stomach growling with hunger, and already thinking I need to pee. I was sure when I started running I the hunger would stop, the feeling I needed to pee, was most likely just being nervous. I didn't get much sleep during the night, I was worried about not finishing. I never actually ran a full thirteen miles, my longest run has been only been eight and half miles.
The morning weather was really nice, and was very breezy, so I had some chills going. Actually liked it, Knowing it would help on the start. My plan was to pace myself with the Runkeeper app at nine minutes twenty-five seconds. Didn't work out like that, I started at the front, stayed to the right to let faster people pass. I soon became in the crowd running eight-thirty pace. I tried slowing down but really had a hard time.
I passed the first couple water stops, I normally run eight miles without water, and don't really like the splash and go. It's hard to drink and run, so I wanted to actually stop/walk and actually drink the water, instead of having it jump right out of the cup.
The first six miles, I stayed pretty with the eight-thirty pace crowd, slowly falling back. I should of stuck with my plan, but felt so fresh, from having my rest day the day before. After mile six I got a side stitch, this was when I started having some doubts of finishing. Mile seven came up I stopped/walked for water. Was able to gather my thoughts and come up with some positive thoughts. The up-coming miles are the same route I run almost daily, so I told myself the miles would be easier.
At mile eight, the battle for passing was something you had to just pick up the pace, and just get out in front. Mile nine, I think I some endorphins kicked in, I was able to pass and get some distance on the person I was battling. Luckily I think that was their breaking point, unfortunately mine was coming up.
Mile ten stopped/walked noticed my legs felt very different like pudding, they didn't want to go on. Right before mile eleven I walked for maybe ten twenty feet, again legs didn't want to keep going. Same thing right before mile twelve. The distance I walked was real short, I may have been able to not stop, but my thoughts in my head was if i just get a little rest in my legs I'll finish running through the finish line and not walking.
and that's what happen!
Here's my pace time for each mile....
- 8'33"
- 8'24"
- 8'37"
- 8'47"
- 8'35"
- 8'42"
- 9'15"
- 9'11"
- 8'29"
- 9'01"
- 8'46"
- 9'39"
- 9'55"
