12:00 PM - So today we were forecasted to get another 4 to 8 inches of snow on top of what we got the other day. It was a dangerous drive down to Albany. The route I take to school which usually takes 45 minutes took about an hour and a half, but we got there. Snow was coming down heavy around the start of the race. The first mile went really slow and had to be close to 9 minutes for me. There was a 3.5 miler being run simultaneously so I lined up about midpack to let the rabbits have their fun. Once we got out on the State Campus Loop though the roads were a little better. About 2-3 inches of slush, but I was able to run in the tracks of the cars that were going by. Around mile 2 I caught up to a father/daughter team I thought were running the 3.5 miler. Turns out the dad was doing the Hangover Half. We started chatting and from mile 2 to mile 9 we ran together, until we caught a couple of his friends and booked a 6:40 Mile 9. I hung tough, but it was kind of funny. One of my brothers, my sister and my mom all came down to see me run, and they thought it'd be funny to lob a snowball out in front of me. Well this was when I was trying to hang onto the blistering pace, about 3 or 4 feet off the back of the group of 4, and my brother lobs one right in front of me and then about two seconds later... SPLaT! I get hit in the side of the face right about at the temple with a snowball. Haha in retrospect it's kind of funny, but it wasn't very funny at the time that's for sure! So I tried to regroup, but the group of 4 just started to accelerate further as we went up the hill. I was left to run the last four miles in by myself. I caught and passed two others out on the course and shuffled home with probably a horribly slow 8:50 or 8:55 last mile. I was really struggling to just regain some of that cool, calm, collected I had maintained for so long. Overall, however I felt really good. I just wish Emmy had been there to see me run. So far the races she's gone to were my two marathons where I did anything but race it seems... though she did get to see me set the huge PR in the 10k on Turkey Day! So that's a plus. Overall, I have to say that given the crappy conditions out on the road, and the snowball, I held my own. I just need to train a little harder I realize to be able to best my PRs even in less than favorable conditions. I did a 1 mile cool down in about 9 or 9:30 then got some coffee, pizza, and changed my clothes. We stopped at Walmart on the way home to pick up some necessary food items for our trip... WE'RE GOING TO PUERTO RICO January 3rd to the 10th!!! I can't wait! I'll actually be able to see Emma for an entire week! (This is a miracle as I hardly get to see her while we're at school.) She truly is an amazing girl. I saw her on Christmas, and I'm already going crazy because I haven't seen her and it's only been 7 days!
I will make sure I don't slack too much during the vacation. I have snorkeling gear and am bringing running shoes. So I will be running/swimming/hiking/snorkeling all week! I can't wait! I will have to bring back some pictures for everyone!
Total Mileage Today: 14.11 (13.11 = race) Time for Race: 1:38:33 Average Pace: 7:31/Mile - Good for 31st place in the half-marathon overall! Not sure about place in my age division. | 