Update at midnight: I just got an email with my results. I actually did better than I thought. I thought I was 1:43:40 but it turns out I was 1:42:49. I was 8th out of 61 finishers in my age division.
My first Hobble Creek experience has been wrapped up. I'm not sure if Tom and I had the greatest rest last night. It seems like one or the other of us were up here and there. But I did sleep better than I thought I would. We left our house at 5:00 and were there to be the final people on the first bus up.
It wasn't too chilly at the start so we weren't freezing there. (some people were, but they must be from Arizona or something.) I knew that it was probably going to be too warm in the last miles.
Jill R. and I started out together. We wanted a better place in the lineup, but it was very crowded and hard to get where we wanted.
It took a bit to get to the start line when the race began and then there were a lot of people to weave through for the first mile. It really slows you down when you have to do that. I'm going to try to get a better start spot from here on out. There are a lot of people who go up front and then just make you stumble over them....grrrrr!
The first 3 or 4 miles seemed to go quite quickly to me, in fact, even up to about 7 or 8 I felt like the race was passing quickly. But that feeling changed! Especially miles 11 and 12, I think both of them were really 4 miles each! :)
Anyway, I wanted to get under 1:45 and I did it. I wanted to be one of the top 100 women and I did that.(received a nice little medallion for that.) I wanted to be in the top 10 of my age division and I did that. I don't know the official time or my overall until the results come up. I know that I was 233 out of everyone, including men. I feel pretty good about that.
I'll add my splits so I can analyze them. I know I probably went out too fast, (after the first crowded mile.) If I would have kept them a little slower I may have had a little more umph at the end. Oh well, I am happy with the race and my effort.
1. 8:35
2. 7:10
3. 7:27
4. 7:03
5. 7:33
6. 7:35
7. 7:55
8. 7:14
9. 8:06
10. 8:05
11. 8:21
12. 8:27
13. 8:18
.1 :44
Three things I learned today...
1. I know why the women Olympic marathoners wear next to nothing as they run. I wanted to strip down big time when that sun was shining down on me! (However, I refrained from doing so. :D)
2. I learned that, "Yes, I do want my hydration belt with me on the marathon!" (When Gu goes down it is nice to have the water right when you need it!
3. I really want my first goal for the marathon to be to finish! I will take any extras if they come, but I really want to focus on finishing and not being disappointed if I don't make a certain time.
One final note....from my "may we's" from yesterday. I think I did all of them except I'm not quite sure I smiled as I crossed the finish line. I smiled really soon after, I'll have to take that for now and work on that better for the marathon where pictures will be taken!
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