MORNING: Even though I wasn't motivated for this race I knew I had to show up. Either I was going to race or pace Barry (on the blog). I slept about 10 hours last night, because I still wasn't feeling the best, and I didn't want to get out of bed. But I rolled out of bed after 8arm and the race started at a weird 10:13am time due to the day after Halloween I guess. I ate some oatmeal and half a bagel and got ready. This was my first Half Marathon Race Ever.
RACERS:
The competitive racer's consisted of fellow friend blogger's Bill Mandler, very very good runner who's going to destroy his marathon PR in Tucson, and Barry Ames who was trying to PR at 1:30. Barry, has worked hard to achieve his goal. Also another local runner who's capable of a 1:18 to 1:20 HM. Actually both Bill, and Dan is capable of this time I'm certain. There was about 50 runners in total for this event. Race: I did one warm-up mile uphill and felt okay but a little tight. Then I did some major stretching which felt good. My left foot still had some soreness that I've had for two weeks, but nothing bad so I decided to wear my 7oz racing flats that I've never ran over 10 miles in.  Â
 The first two miles of this race is a good downhill then it levels off and you have rolling hills after that. I decided to go out fast, but not too fast just to see how I felt, because I could tell that I was still a little fatigued. I was yawning so bad before the start driving up to the course that I really thought I was in trouble.
Splits 5:24 (Felt really good and was running in first alone, I did see a 4:50 pace so I slowed down a bit)Â (Downhill)
5:35 (Dan caught up to me and we ran this mile together. I felt like I ran this mile too conservative now that I look back on how I felt after mile 2.) (Downhill)
5:44 (Dan said he couldn't hang with me anymore on this mile and I felt that are conservation slowed me down on this mile.)Â Not a very good split should have kept my focus.
5;40 (Felt good! but I had to run into the water station and stop for water or this would have been faster.) Amazingly I didn't feel fatigued or weak like I did during my weekly runs at this point. (flat and rolling terrain).
5:28 (Felt really good and picked the pace up thinking my nervous system and body was really feeling good)Â (Rolling Hills)
5:29 (Same, just crusinig)Â (Rolling Hill)
5:51 (Good uphill with a headwind at this point) It's funny in the training runs I did on this course I hit the headwind on the same mile). (uphill and flat).
5:41 (Took a gel and had a hard time getting it open and it broke my pace a bit.) (Uphill and flat).   My wife was driving beside me at this point and handed me some water and I then took a Accel Gel. I was still feeling good and felt I should try and stay somewhere around a 5:4ish pace on the tougher course part.Â
5:43 (Tougher part of the course more uphill and flat, but I was still feeling good). (uphill/rolling)
5:48 (More rolling hills, and I felt comfortable and should have pushed the mile harder) (Uphill/Rolling)
5:57 (Not sure what happen this mile but it should have been faster. Maybe I was just letting the course surface/description "Uphill/Rolling again" just giving me what I was allowing it to without pushing.
5:59 (This mile I was worried where I was suppose to turn and I know that slowed me down. I know we can lose our focus and make mistakes and you can always look back where you could have been stronger/faster) (Uphill and Flat)
5:53 (I wanted this mile faster and remembered being a little tired, but I pushed up the hill and flat terrian. Not a very fast mile at all). .1 - (Last 100m's was downhill and I sprinted towards the finish). After I finished I ran back on the course a mile to find Barry to try to pace him for his 1:30 goal. I was yelling at him and pushing him hard trying to keep him motivated. He sprinted at the end and finished 1:31:2ish. Almost reached his goal, but he was happy. Dan finished second at 1:23 and Bill Mandler was right on his heels and would have past him if there was just a little more distance. He finished 4 seconds behind Dan. Bill Mander looked strong finishing at 1:23 and Dan was just hanging on.  For winning I got a $90.00 nike watch.
All in all I felt I did good for what my health was. I was really surprised that I ran as well as I did on a hard course and not really ready to run this race with the sickness. I feel I could have probably ran a 1:11 if I felt better, but will never know.
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