OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

I was in corral B so it did not take me that long to get to the starting line (about 30 seconds) after the gun went off. As usual it was very crowded at the start and I had to do some weaving through traffic. The first part of the race went without much incident. I started goin out at a good pace but one that I thought I would be able to maintain. Even thought I knew I was going at a good pace I kept seeing I was way under 7:00 per mile pace each mile that went by. However, I did not feel I was going out too hard. I passed the spot that last year my shoe came untied and was very grateful I remembered to double knot them this year. Got to the 5 mile marker and hit the lap counter on my Garmin. From the weaving I added some distance so I actually went 5.04 miles in 34:11 for a 6:47 per mile pace.

I took another gel packet just after crossing the 5 mile mark. I didn't feel like I needed it at that point but that was the plan so I took it. I turned the corner and was running outside the race track. Just before entering I could see onto the track and I saw the leaders finishing their loop of the track. That means that the leaders were 2.5 miles ahead of me at my 5.5 mile point. That is really moving! I made my way around the track and was still feeling good. I got to the half way point in the race per the Garmin and I was at 44:45. If I could keep that pace up I could beat my goal of 1:30. However, I was seeing my miles were falling off a bit even though they were still under 7:00 per mile.

Exiting the track, I felt like I was wearing out but I passed the 9 mile mark and I was still on pace to get a PR. I was saving my last gel pack for the 10 mile point. However, right about mile 9.5 the wheels almost fell off. I hit a wall and I really wanted to stop. I just felt awful and had nothing more to give. I got out the last gel pack and took it right away. I kept pushing and tried to keep a good pace. Passed the 10 mile mark and I was at 1:08:37 meaning I did the last 5 miles (actually 4.99 per the garmin) in 34:25 or 6:54 per mile. I had not fallen off as much as I thought. I would only have to do the last 5k in 21:23 to get my goal.

I don't know if I forgot about being so dead, if the gel pack kicked in or just the thought that I was close to my goal made me get an extra burst of energy. Whatever it was I didn't feel so bad any more. However, passing the 11 mile mark my time had fallen off. At about mile 11.5 a guy came up next to me and said "I'm sticking with you to the end. What are you looking to finish at?" I said that I was trying for 1:30 but I thought I might be just over that based on where I was at that point. He must not have liked that because he surged ahead of me a bit not long after that. He must have wanted to finish under the 1:30. However, I turned it on a little more and passed him again for good. I never saw him again so he must have fallen way back of me. I passed the 12 mile mark and turned to go down the long last stretch. This is the hardest mile of the race. Not only because it is the last one, but because you can see the finish line the whole way. I gave everything I had to give for the last mile, but it seemed to take forever. I don't remember looking at my watch at all the whole last mile, but when I crossed the finish line I saw that wonderful number: 1 hour 30 minutes flat! I had done it! That last mile must have been really fast because I know I dropped off in mile 11 and 12 a bit. The last 5k (or 3.11 on the garmin) I did in exactly 21:23 or 6:53 per mile. Not a second more or less than I needed.

According to the Garmin, I ran a total of 13.14 miles so if I could have run in a straight line I woul have been under 1:30. Can't complain though. This felt great!! I made my goal and got a PR by 4 minutes and 1 second!!!

Finishing in 564th place I missed the top 500 (and getting the special medals) by only 57 seconds. I saw a lot of them in the finishing chute so I knew I had just missed it. I still am not upset thought because I knew I did my best. Now I have something to shoot for next year.

Still 564th overall put me in the top 1.84% of all finishers and being 54th in my age group put me in the top 2.80% in my age group. Great improvement over last year and last year was good too.




Not much I could have done except push a little harder. I really gave it all I had though so I know I didn't leave anything out there.

Walked around and looked at some cars that were on display. Watched the finishers waiting for my cousins and Uncle to finish


No idea really. This was a great race. More practice at the distance will help. Seem to drop time every year. I was well trained for this race.


Love this race. Witht he flat course it is easy to run yet challenging because of the distance.

That afternoon my foot was feeling funny and I realized that I had a blisted the size of a quarter on the bottom of my right foot just behind the second toe. I thought I felt it coming on this week but I guess the race just finished it off.