Houston Half

Last year when I participated in this race it was my first "official" half marathon even though I have done the distance plus more on many training runs. Last year I accomplished it in 2:40:10.8 and this year I really wanted to beat that time, but didn't think I would.

Everything seemed to be going okay before I left my place, but then I started feeling a tad not so great in the car. I just prayed that I would be okay until I could get to a port-a-potty (I know - TMI!).

I parked, got all my stuff together then started hoofing it to the start. I looked down at my wrist to check out the time and that is when I realized I had forgot my Garmin on the kitchen counter hooked up to the charger. I was so ticked!

Back to the car I went to drop off my heart rate monitor (lot of good that was going to do me now!) then I made my way towards the start again.

I started feeling better, but still made a pit stop to make sure I was good to go once the gun went off. All I gotta say is that I really should not eat a lot of fatty food the night before a race (I had a tad too much cheese)!! Sorry, more TMI!

I finally made it over to the start and after a few minutes the gun went off. I kept looking for the official time clock as I got closer to the timing mats, but never saw one - all I could do was estimate that it took two to three minutes for me to get to the start line since I was so close to the back. And when I did cross I didn't hear a beep. I just hope that my time actually was recorded.

Since I did not have my watch set with my interval times, my plan was to run a mile then walk about a minute after each mile marker. And I would walk all the up hills.

My nutrition plan was to drink my 16 oz bottle of Endurance Gatorade during the first couple miles, then around one hour do my my first gu and then have another at the 1.5 and 2 hour marks. I really think this helped me a lot!!

I made it to mile marker one 13:34 after the gun. At mile two the pace caller said I was around a 12:50 pace. So much for beating last years time.

Then at mile three they said my pace was around 12:30.

Hmmm - I might get close!

Mile 4 around 12:15

Mile 5 around 12:05

Mile 6 - 11:58

Mile 7 - 11:51

Mile 8 - 11:48

Mile 9 - 11:45

Mile 10 - 11:43

Holy Crap!! I did negative splits for 10 miles!!! Can I keep it going?

Mile 11 - 11:43

Nope, but I'm happy, I stayed the same pace!

Mile 12 - 11:44 (time clock read around 2:08)

Yeah - a positive split, but considering who cares!!

Mile 13 - no idea, but I am sure it was a positive split because I was getting tired and took several small walk breaks!

Mile 13.1 - time clock read around 2:34:20!!!!!!

Woohoo!! PR!!

Then subtract a couple minutes from that and my chip time is around 2:32!!!!

O! M! G!

I PR'd by at least 8 minutes!!!

Yeah me!!!