Al: October 2010

Bib #: 6875 (almost my Mastin Street address)
Division: 25 - 29 (age)
Number of women in my division: 744

My overall place was 1324 with a time of 1:56:56. My average pace was 8:56 miles/minute. I wish I knew what my fastest mile time was with 8:56 as my average. Out of 3133 female half marathon runners I finished in 473rd place. I have been trying to find out how many participated in the half to no avail.

I woke up around 5:40 Saturday morning. I wanted to allow myself plenty of time to eat, drive to Crown Center, stretch, etc. Erin woke up shortly after I did. We drove through the Starbucks drive thru so she could get something hot to drink. The morning air was refreshing and slightly cool. Beautiful running weather. As we neared down town I saw a long line of barely moving cars trying to pull off of the exit I was planning on taking. I sat in traffic for a few minutes. I called Erin, she was in her car behind me, to see what her opinion was and if she knew another way we could take. She didn't. I called my sweet friend Niki to ask if she knew an alternate route, but when I realized I woke her up I let her go back to sleep without asking her. I called her sis Chris, another dear friend, I knew she was on her way or down there already. She was a great cheerleader having completed the Chicago marathon a week before. Thankfully she knew a different route. I wasted no time. I pulled out of traffic and hurried along I-35 to Broadway to backtrack my way to Union Station. At this point I was talking to my beautiful Mom on the phone. She asked me if I was nervous yet. I was a little. With good reason! It was 7:15. The time I had originally planned to be completely stretched, finished with the toilet, and standing in my 2 hour pace group. Alas, I was in my car, still driving, without a parking spot. Yes, I was nervous. (After the race I told a few friends that the most nervousing part of the race is not the race itself, it is getting to the start line with time to spare.) I found a parking spot easily enough, and fortunately Erin was able to park one car away from me. I handed her my keys and camera and told her sorry, but I am going to go. I wasn't about to walk at a normal pace. It was 7:20! I wasn't in line with my list of pre-race issues taken care of when the race started. When I did finally get on the road with all of the runners the MC told us there was no rush to the start as our individual time didn't start until we crossed the start line. I was relieved. As I walked forward I did a tiny bit of stretching, though it was in no way properly done. I do not recommend starting any race the way I did, but in the end everything ended up just fine. I caught up with the 2 hour pacers, and was close behind them and not far ahead of them the entire time. EXCEPT at the end of mile 7 I was relieved to see a line of Johny's. I hurried on in, took care of business, and was out in no time, or so I thought. I figured I wouldn't be far behind my pace group leaders and would catch up to them easily. Wrong! For whatever reason it took me maybe 3 miles to see the 2 hour pace group sign that the leaders hold. I was a little concerned before I saw the sign. I wondered how I could have gotten that far behind them. By the time I saw them I was somewhere around mile 10 or 11, and just because I saw the sign, heh, didn't mean I was close or that I would finish in 2 hours. I had to catch up with them! My time depended on it. My mood after the race depended on it! What did I do?! Why I caught up with them, of course. I passed them, too. I ran next to the leaders long enough to ask them if we were on schedule and to thank them for being great leaders and encouragement. Then I passed them. I knew I was close but I didn't know how close. I could hear the MC and cheering fans. I turned the corner and there it was. The Clock. This was no ordinary Clock. All of my training for the past few months was either going to pay off or fall short, and that Clock with its large, red, digital numbers displayed how much time I had left to fulfill my goal. When I read 1:59:15 I was determined. The sprint was on. There was no way I was going to lose it now. I had trained to sprint the last part of the run and give it my all, so that's what I did. My time? What was my time you ask? 1:59:29. I did it. I beat 2 hours by 31 seconds. YES!! I crossed the Finish line and was still going. Others stopped almost immediately, but I couldn't, not yet. My momentum was too great to allow an abrupt stop. Someone commented on the fact that I was still going. I had a similar remark right after I finished the half last year. I was done. Finished. You know what? I think I could have done it a little faster. My body felt that way at least. I'm not sure if that means my sprint could have started sooner, or my overall pace could have been faster. I made my way down the path to drop of my timing chip and receive my medal. I was looking for my sister and as I saw all hundreds of faces I didn't know I thought that we should have set up a post race meet up plan. How was I ever going to find her. Well, she found me :) I can't tell you how great it was to have her at the finish. My friend Rocky was there, too. (his bro was running in the 2 hour pace group also.) THEN Chris found me. As I stretched and refueled Erin looked up my official results on her phone. My time of 1:59:29 ended up really being 1:56:56! I beat my goal time of 2 hours by 3 minutes and 4 seconds! And the night before I was worrying that I wouldn't be able to keep a 9.16 pace to finish in 2 hours. Bah!

When I pulled into my driveway I received a text from my awesome friend Angela Maasen asking me where I was. She, Leah, and Cassidy were up at the race to congratulate me, but we missed each other! Can I tell you something? I am loved. I am supported. I have the best friends in the entire world. Next time we might plan the ending a little different so we see each other. It's more fun and less of a bummer-we-missed-each-other deal.

Overall I had a blast. During the run strangers would cheer for me. They would yell, Go Allison! Yeah!" (My name is on my bib)That was pretty awesome and helpful 9 miles in to the race.

One thing about the course. Last year I heard it is a hilly course. This was another slight concern for me. I did little hill training, but the hills I ran were apparently great hills to train on. I didn't find myself winded after the hills, and there were a few good ones. Praise the Lord, really. He supplies the ability. I was glad to use it.

Looking for a good laugh? Follow the link:http://www.backprint.com/view_user_event.asp?PID=bp%18yG&EVENTID=72309&BIB=6875&S=230&PWD=
Hilarious! Few things make me laugh the way these did.

Well folks, we are down to less than a week. The Waddell and Reed Half Marathon is this upcoming Saturday morning. The race begins at 7:30 am, and the runners are told to be warmed up and at the starting line ready to go 15 minutes prior to start time. I am excited and I hope ready. I went for a long run Friday night and after the run my achillies tendon(? i could be way off) was sore. It remained that way until yesterday. I haven't run since Friday, so I don't know how it is going to feel when I run. Other than that my body feels great. My plan is to go on a few easy jogs this week and rest up for Saturday.

You are all invited, though, my feelings won't be hurt if you aren't at Pershing and Grand at 730 am on Saturday morning.

Al

23.10.10

18.10.10

14.10.10

The Finish Line

11.10.10