OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

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.

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.

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.


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.


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