Let me just say, I am sooo happy with my time! Who doesn't love a PR! The race was great, and running through my favorite city with my dad and best friend was awesome. You can tell I am still on a runner's high :)
Don't have all my splits, but...
Mile 1- I think 7000 people ran in the half, and 6500 started in front of us. They tried to do a wave start but no one listened. The first four miles we actually ran on the city sidewalk instead of the course in the street, just because there were sooo many people that were going really slow. We managed to clock a 7:50 but wasted a ton of energy.
Miles 2-3 still very crowded
Miles 4-5 we started getting into a groove. Got our pace down to 7:40 or just under, and although most people hated the hills I thought they were great!!
Miles 6-8 I started to get a little frustrated. I wanted to run with my dad and Erin but I had a ton of energy I wanted to expend. Erin dropped back at 8 (but still ran an awesome 1:44- a PR and she has a marathon in two weeks). We continued around 7:40-7:45, including stopping to give my cousin a hug while she waited on the sidelines to run for her relay team. Gu-ed up at mile 7.
Mile 9 I asked my dad if we can still get under 1:40 and he said probably not because we were running 7:45s, and I should go on without him.
Mile 10 I ran 6:45!!! I felt amazing, I even danced with some old man cheering for people on the sidelines, haha.
Mile 11- 6:46
Mile 12- 7:05 (this one had some hills)
Mile 13.1- I am not sure what my pace for the last mile was, but I finished in 1:37:56, a new PR by 3.5 minutes!!
I don't know if I would have gotten a better time if I ran the whole race hard. If I left them earlier I wouldn't have had as much left at the end. One day I will obviously have a chance to run a hard one by myself and see, so I do not at all regret holding back in the beginning. I think we all would have done better without the crowds or the heat (it was pretty bad).
I now have two long runs before my marathon, so these next few weeks are high mileage weeks. At least this race pumps me up for them. Then I get to go to Biloxi and hope for a 3:40 for Boston!!
Congrats to my brother who finished his first marathon! I miss so much living far from home, so I am so glad I got to be there for it since he was there for mine. | 