OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Indianapolis, Indiana
United States
500 Festival
47F / 8C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 52m 14s
Overall Rank = 5382/35000
Age Group = 35-39
Age Group Rank = 781/2082
Pre-race routine:

Not much of a routine. Woke up around 5am and took shower at hotel room and then ate a bowl of oatmeal while Marc (jernigancpa) showered. On the drive to the race (about 20 min's) we were cold. It was 45 degrees. It was only going to get to the low 50's by the time we should be finishing so a cool race would be good. Last year it was very hot. Ate a cliff bar and drank gatorage on the way down.
Event warmup:

Walking from the car to the race start. About 3 blocks and I dropped Marc off near his corral. He got stuck in Q which is a good 2 or so blocks from the start line. I walk up to meet my father - in - law to give him his gels I picked up for him. I went to my corral and walked around to keep warm. I started in G and didn't know a person. I had planned on running with Marc and TJ (Sharkey) but TJ ended up in K. I tried to picture how I was going to go out at the beginning, hopefully not too fast.
Run
  • 1h 52m 14s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 08m 34s  min/mile
Comments:

Well I started off slower than I wanted but happy with mile 1 at 9:05. Interesting sidenote. At mile one I had these three guys next to me talking the whole mile and they asked each other what their split was and they said 9 min's. One of the guys says " hey, I have never run a 9 min mile, I feel great". I just thought hang on buddy you have 12 more to go. Mile 2 was probably too quick I thought at 8:30 and slowed down to 8:47 for the third.

At the 5K point I was 26:54 and I know 8:41 average is under the 9:10 avg needed to be under 2hrs which is my first goal. Last year was 2:08. My stretch target was 1:50 so I new I was close to the 8:24/mile average I need. My 4th and 5th mile were consistant at 8:36 & 8:30 but that is where the good times ended.

Mile 6,7 & 8 are on the speedway track and it is just hard. There isn't any music anymore (the streets are lined with musicians and bands playing the entire way) and when there is a head wind you have it for the entire backstretch plus it bunches up the runners to where it gets tough to pass, there are 35K people running this thing. So excuses aside, I put in 8:36, 8:47, 8:47. This hurts my 1:50 goal but still in good shape for under 2 hrs. My 10K time was 53:54 so my second 5K was 27min's which is only 6 secs slower than my first 5K. Consistancy is good. Actually I was feeling pretty good when I saw the 7 mile marker and I was exactly at 1hr. Then I looked up at the big screen (this is at the speedway, huge screen) and I see the winner cross the line in 1:03:21. I thought at the time well at least I am at mile 7, he wasn't twice as fast as me.

Mile 9 is out of the track but my 8:47 this lap includes leaving the track up the bank and a walk through the water station. At this time I am also thinking how can I get 1:50. What do I need to be with 5K to go. I would of loved 1:20 but that wasn't going to happen but as close to it as possible but leaving enough to finish. I took the water and headed towards mile 10 picking up the pace. At mile 10 I was at 1:26:57. 23 min's. I knew I wasn't going to make it but I still picked up my pace and tried not to feel disappointed. After all why did I pick 1:50? I don't know, I didn't really look at the pace it would need until the night before. I had an idea but why 1:50? Because it is a nice round number under 2hrs? I don't know. These are my thoughts while running miles 11 & 12. I run my last three miles at 8:16, 8:08 & 7:55 with a final 5K of 25:17 and to finish with 8:10 avg on my last 5K quicker than my first 5K is good.

I ran 8:35's and looking back I am very pleased. I think next year I will shoot for 1:44:59.
What would you do differently?:

A good idea would of been to drop back into corral K and run with Sharkey. He ran a 1:47 I think. I wanted to run with him because I knew we would push each other and I would of ran faster. Together we might of both ran under 1:45. Being that I ran alone I think I kept it pretty consistant and at a pretty good push. I have only my base building with no real speedwork done yet. I run about 10-11 min miles during training so to be able to keep my pace was satisfying. I need to work on the mental part of the track. It should be cool to get to run around the track. It certainly sounds cool but once you are on it you really are ready to be off. The excitment fades pretty quickly. Maybe if they had the race run through there on race day with the crowd, no that would be cool.
Post race
Warm down:

Walking through the exit is a trip in and of itself. You wait in line like sardines while getting your chip removed. Then you walk, water handed to you, walk, potato chips, cookies, bananas and apples all while you are exiting. Then picture then to the park to wait on Marc and look for a few other people. It is still cool out and being in the shade is downright freezing. I have nothing but the clothes I ran in and I am cold. I have to sit in the sun just to keep warm. Head to the beer garden and get my free beer and find Marc.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Experience is probably number one. This is only my second 1/2 marathon and first time I ran it alone. So knowing and having the confidence to push earlier in the race and still have the strong finish. The ability to know my pace and keep it consistant. Although I think I did a good job here. Other than my first mile at 9min's the rest where between 8:22 and 8:47 so somewhat consistant.

Event comments:

This is a good race and with the musicians on every corner and the 17 water stations over the 13 miles and the 35,000 other runners you are always around people and it makes the 13 miles go by pretty fast. I am doing this next year and hopefully just as pleased next year.

27,642 finishers: 14,337 females: 13,305 Males: Average time 2:26.57
Winner Ben Kimondiu Kenya 1:03:21 Female winner Lucie Mays-Sulemski Indiana 1:19.38

5382/26,642 overall finishers
781/2082 Age Groug
4259/13,305 male finishers




Last updated: 2006-04-19 12:00 AM
Running
01:52:14 | 13.1 miles | 08m 34s  min/mile
Age Group: 781/2082
Overall: 5382/35000
Performance: Good
Course: A mostly flat out and back course that takes you to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a lap around the track and then back to downtown. A lap of the track is 2.5 miles. There is the occassional road the has an incline that is noticable but no real hills. We do get to run up the track to exit it and the track is somewhat steep.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? No
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4