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Comments: May the Fourth - a Star Wars themed race! I love that this race series does themes (last year it was on Cinco de Mayo so they played that up). Super pleased with my wardrobe choice of run skirt, singlet and visor, knowing we were on our way to 99 degrees today (good bye spring!). I was pumped up at the start, and predictably emotional. I just love running so much and this was the most beautiful morning - blue sky, no clouds, slight breeze and here I was at the start line of my 13th (!) stand-alone half marathon, in my beloved home town, running along our GORGEOUS downtown and Arkansas river area. Also predictably, I cried. Oh, Lisa :) So the first 3 miles were actually pretty tedious after the start. I kicked myself for forgetting ibuprofen and my left knee hurt immediately. But after mile 3 it stopped, and things got more enjoyable, just ticking off the miles one by one. I don't know what this new (?) trend is with races, but having aid stations once every 2+ miles just seems like not enough to me... maybe I am just used to Ironman runs where they are every mile on the mile... but again I was so glad I had my hand held - I mean people were stopping and forming lines at park water fountains to get hydration. I drank two, 20-oz bottles of my hand held, plus Gatorade at 5 aid stations. I didn't stop to walk until mile 8, where I ate my Sports Beans - walked a few times in this mile and maybe a few more in 9 and 10. But at mile 11, the 2:30 pace group caught me (while I was walking) and they were SO energetic and encouraging, I jumped right in with them. The pace leaders were constantly pepping people up, calling them by the color of their shirt, encouraging, woo-hooing, and just having a blast. I liked these people - A LOT. I decided to stay with them, and it was a great decision! We pushed and pushed and I was actually a bit ahead of them in the last mile - I was trying to pull another girl who was fading, we ran most of the last mile together. Finally over the Arkansas River and to the finish line - lots of people! Sunshine! Posters! Cowbells! And STORM TROOPERS handing out medals! I completely shocked myself by staying with the pace group for the last two miles and am so proud of this effort. What would you do differently?: Nothing, this was right on-point for me and I pushed to my limits to get under 2:30 today.  Post race
Warm down: Just found my car and headed home. Need a bath and a nap :) Profile Album Last updated: 2014-04-19 12:00 AM
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United States
70F / 21C
Sunny
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I signed up for this at the last minute so I could do the "Back 2 Back" challenge - this race coupled with the fall full marathon - to get the extra swag. Training was fairly nonexistent, save for the half marathon I ran 3 weeks prior. Also rode for 2 hours and got sunburned yesterday (and went to a charity event last night) so my body was a bit fatigued.
With this being my local race I was not very concerned about getting there early. Then of course I couldn't find parking so scrambled and finally found a space 15 minutes before the gun was to go off - but still made it with time to spare.