Vetfest Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

I did this race like many other totally blind. Turned on my GPS and never looked it just listened for the mile beep for fueling. Goal was to ease into the first mile and then take it up to somewhat hard. The first honking hill is around the 15' mark so that's where it morphed from somewhat hard to hard.

I carried my FB with Carbo Pro and drank it on the 1m beep. Got through the first one around the 6m mark which is where I started increasing intensity a little more. I was breathing hard, but body and stomach were a-ok. I got to the 9m mark, started feeling not so happy, but opened it up a little more. I had drained all my fuel at that point so when I hit 10m I drank some Gatorade on the fly and told myself to get going. I passed a girl that was bugging me with the slap of her shoes and just kept pushing. I felt horrible the way you do at this point in a race, but didn't take my foot off the gas. I passed a few guys, but there was one other girl I was hoping to pass with 1.5m to go because I wasn't sure if she was in my AG. I kept inching closer and closer and she kept looking behind her so she knew I was on the hunt :). Made the last turn and just gave it whatever I had left which wasn't much. I didn't pass her, 8 seconds behind. I did see the pace clock as I was running down the chute and loved what I saw. It was almost a 6' CR verus last year! Brett and I have been working on running the last 6 or so weeks and it is paying off. I'm faster and can seem to handle more pain than I used to. Still have a ways to go to get back to my HM PR, but today I'm satisfied with:

#1 AG, #8 Female, #27 OA. Love small races.

Drink more--normally 16oz would be enough, but maybe the warmer temps got me. Maybe could have used a few more CHOs too.

Remember the inhaler.

Mentally rock solid.

Stopped, didn't puke, but felt like total crap. Walked around for 10' and jumped in the car.


Nothing. This is about the best I could have hoped for given current fitnes levels


This is a great small town race that honors Veterans. I did this in memory of my my three time purple heart WWII father. Whenever I felt like I wanted to slow down, I reminded myself of what he and many others went through and told myself to suck it up.