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.
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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).
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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.
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The final kick before the finish line is undoubtedly the best part of the race
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That look of exhausted, triumphant, relief when you realize when you realize you just finished your first Half-Marathon
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