Wooh! What a day! I had to get up at 4:30 to catch a bus up to the start line, so last night I tried going to sleep at 8:30. It took about a half hour to get to sleep (on two meletonin), and then I woke up at 10:30, got up, took another chill pill, went to the bathroom, and tried to get back to sleep. That took about 2 hours, so I wasn't as rested as I wanted to be, but it was still pretty good.
When I got off the bus at the park in Blacksmith Fork Canyon, it was freezing cold, and I was shivering even with my sweats and warmup shirt. This was at about 6:00, and the race started at 7. At 6:30, I stripped into my race clothes, got in a a good 10 minute warmup, and before I knew it, people were lining up to start, and the gun went off.
When I lined up, I made sure to get near the 1:35 pacer, but when the race started, he was going at a pace that I was not comfortable with, so I kind of thought sub 1:35 was off the book once he was out my sight, but as far as I new I was way ahead of the 1:40 guy. The first 7 miles (down the canyon) were super easy, just like I was told before. One of the only splits I remember is at mile 2 where I was at 14:45, and thought yes, I have good pace and I feel great. Four of my friends from XC were at the mile three aid station, which was great. I spent the whole time in the canyon basically leapfrogging with some other runners.
Me at somewhere around miles 4 or 5, fixing my posture for the camera
I kind of started feeling it as soon as the course flattened out, but it wasn't that bad yet. So I geuss I would call most of the Hollow Road section stage 2 as far as difficulty. I was surprised when I saw the entire girls soccer team from my school at one of the stations. Once I got onto the highway and off it, the race was at maximum difficulty. Miles 11 and 12 were the worst part. That was probably where I was at the slowest pace and sloppiest form. I got passed once in the whole race and it was at the end of mile 11. It was a kid wearing a Sky View jersey and he just had a strong finish that I wish I would have had. (I found out later that he's my second cousin).
Somewhere on Hollow Road, but I don't remember where.
 Realizing I'm gonna get passed and that I need to step up my game
Once mile 13 started, it got easier, and I was able to pick up the pace. With about 800 left I passed the 1:35 pacer, who was going way slower than when he started. I figure he must be new to pacing and went out too fast, then realized it and had to slow way down. By then I could physically see the finish line, and got even easier. It felt amazing sprinting through the finish.
The final kick before the finish line is undoubtedly the best part of the race
That look of exhausted, triumphant, relief when you realize when you realize you just finished your first Half-Marathon
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