PR Time!!!!! I ran the Provo Half Marathon this morning. I am very happy to have a new PR. The previous half marathon PR was 2:41 in 2006 - so I was able to drop 12 minutes. I have run the Provo Half 3 previous times and I was very disappointed in the organization of the run. I think they were scrambling to change the course because of the fires above Bridal Veil Falls - but after all these years I thought they could have done better. They suggested you come early on Friday and pick up your number and get a free GU - and I came within an hour of them opening and they had run out of GU. Not that I cared - its the principle of the thing. Race started about 15 minutes late. They decided they had to get the final buses out of the canyon - so tried to find ways to move them through 2500 runners. I finally went back and got in the port a potty line and decided to just run my watch time. We started at the top of South Canyon and ran 4.5 miles down the hills to Vivian Park. That was the first aid station. My knees were a little twingy - but never got worse the entire race, so I was happy with that. My goal was to run 8 minutes, walk 2 minutes the entire race and see how that felt. After Vivian Park, they put us on the highway for 2.5 miles. A lot more uphills than the previous course and my knees were not too happy about the concrete. Finally - another aid station at 7 miles. From then on we were on paths or parking lot and that was a lot easier on the body. Overall, I felt good maintaining that rhythm. I dropped down to 1.5 minutes walking after 10 miles and ran the rest of the way in from 12 miles on. My legs and body felt really good from 7-11 miles and so I know I am training in the right direction. I could have pushed harder, but this was more a pace test and a knee test and I am satisfied. It is really different this last year to finally be in a position where I am passing runners and surrounded by runners the entire race. My first years - I was usually in the back and alone the entire time. I had a potty stop at mile 7.5 and was able to catch and pass the runners I had been with at about mile 10.5. The last mile I was passing lots of people. That sure is a motivator! Overall - a good run. Average pace 11:14 (my goal was to average under 12:00). 1526 Calories burned.
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