12:00 PM - Got up early after celebrating New Years with our friends and family. Drove to Albany. Was pretty nervous because I haven't run this race in three years since I got injured. The last time I ran it I nearly PR'ed in the 1/2 with a 1:38. I was also only 170 lbs then. My goal going into this race was A. a sub 2:00, B. a sub-2:10, and C. to simply finish. I met all goals and ended up running the best 1/2 marathon of the year for me by considerable time. All this considering I ran monster miles this week and am a bit tired. PRERACE : I knew the race was going to be popular since the announcement they were actually having bib numbers. We haven't ever had them before. Got to the lot about an hour before race time, and it was jam packed! Runners, spectators, volunteers crowded into the athletic center. I estimated in excess of 200 runners were there for the Hangover 1/2 and about a 100 for the Sober up 3.5miler. Saw one of my running buddies from college, Pat. He was going for gold today. He's won the race before and is a very respectable runner. (He ended up going on to come in 2nd after getting told to take a wrong turn, but ran a 1:11.) THE RACE: Race got pushed back because of so many last minute registrations. We didn't start until close to 12:10. Moved to the back of the pack. I knew that today was just to test the waters and see what I could do on a long training week. It's kind of eerie being back at a race you haven't run in several years, especially the last one you did before a major layoff. Overall things went splendidly though. MILE 1: (9:19) Things got off to a rocky start because we thought the race had started and were jogging about 150', but it turned out they had not marked the starting line. Ooops. Finally got going though and cruised up the two hills and out of the central campus to the campus road. MILE 2: (8:57) Settled into a nice pace behind a pack. Just relaxing and enjoying the gorgeous weather. It was 45 out and partly sunny. Amazing! MILE 3: (8:49) Running on the inner circle of the campus road. Ran next to Wade Stockman, a 75 year old runner who wins his age group in almost every race he runs. His wife is the same way. Annie is 78 and did the same today as well in the 1/2. A truly amazing couple. My parents were both runners in the 80s and remember seeing them at races too! MILE 4: (8:36) Heading out onto the second loop, Pat came past me and said, "Benn they sent us the wrong way! Mothereffers sent us the wrong way!". He was taking it in stride and just smiling though and running with Tom O'Grady. The eventual winner came by in 3rd and I said: "Oh man you too!? Keep on truckin' man. Show 'em you mean business." He replied: "Thanks! You have a great race yourself". MILE 5: (8:47) Uphill mile going on the outside of the campus road. Nothing too eventful. Moving past some runners falling back from starting too fast. MILE 6: (8:44) Coming downhill towards the end of the second loop. Suzy Pris was pacing a friend for a 2:15. Saw me from the inner loop and yelled across the median to me. I waved and gave a thumbs up. MILE 7: (8:38) Heading into the central campus now. Up and down a nice steady hill. Caught two more runners. MILE 8: (8:50) Saw a very good family friend, Vitus Chow as I approached the turnaround. He was about a minute ahead of me, and I tried to catch up to him later in the race, but he maintained the 1+ minute on me. MILE 9: (8:48) Heading out on the final loop on the faster part of the course. Still feeling good and fresh, but I knew that my legs still had the potential to "freeze up". MILE 10: (9:02) Uphill going into the inner loop. Found a group about 200m ahead and started to make my way towards them. Picked off a lot of stragglers in the course of about 9 or 10 minutes. MILE 11: (9:23) Blah. Legs feeling it now. Was expected and I was actually surprised I fought it for so long. I haven't had good training and it shows. Just holding my own and keeping people from passing me. less than 3 miles. I can do it! MILE 12: (9:26) Tucked in behind a pair of people that were talking about the racing season coming up for 2011. Laughed when one guy said this was his best and worst race of the year. I got the joke (1/1/11.. ONLY race this year). MILE 13+: (9:36) Hamstrings and quads feeling it. Stopped for water for the first time ( I had a handheld most of the way.). Long uphill before back into the campus loop. Pat Cullen caught up to me on his cool down and ran me in the last .3 miles. Was nice to catch up with him. We both decided that a sub-2 wasn't "that bad" considering my training. We also agreed it was time to head in and get some pizza! Total Time: 1:58:31 Total Distance: 13.11 miles Average Pace: 9:03 Emm, my mom, and Harry surprised me by driving from Pittsfield to meet me to take me to Panera. They missed the end of the race though so didn't get to actually see me run, but my mom did enjoy catching up with Vitus. This evening Emm and I went bowling with Missy and her sisters and their significant others. Then we went to Missy's house to see Sophie the new puppy! All in all a great day and a great start to the new year! Goals for 2011 and reflections on 2010 to come in tomorrow's entry! | 
