About an hour drive up 65 to Ben Haris State Park for the Indy Half Mar., newly owned by the IMM race company and has eliminated the full marathon option :(
Very nice course almost 100% on pavement, with a couple of hilly sections. Very good weather, also - 50 degrees, a bit of wind, and sunny. Running bandit today, and feeling apprehensive about even toeing the line prior to race. Then after some bathroom break and some jogging to loosen up, I do just that - I warm up and stifness/soreness loosens up. Toe the line near the front and after the gun, quickly discover a stud pulling away from the field and a group of 3 that I recognize as some local elites. The pack is thick with the rest of us around 1:20 (and up). It thins out and me and a couple guys and gal seperate and settle into about 6:05-6:10 pace. The race wears on and I am delighted to find that I am running relaxed and legs not hurting around 6:00 pace on flat ground. By mile 10-11 I am alone in 5th. Reamin there until about 12 and a girl is breathing down my neck before I know it. Kick and cross the line in a unrecorded/unawarded 5th.
Splits: 5:57, 5:58, 6:20, 6:07, 03, 05, 05, 11, 02, 15, 8, 13, 02, 5:05 pace for partial
1st place ran 1:07, 2-4 ran 1:14:XX
Good luck to everybody running Chicago tomorrow. Dont drink to much Goose Island
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