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Comments: My plan was to start with the 2:15 pace group and slowly accelerate as I warmed up. Right at the start the 2:15 pacer ran forward at a very quick pace and I thought "that can't be right!" and my GPS confirmed I was at a 9:40 pace. I let him run ahead and instead fell into step with a runner who was keeping a steady pace so I wouldn't go too fast at the start. The first couple miles were crowded and my impromptu pace buddy and I joked a little bit as we passed a sign that said "mortuary ahead, look alive!" then we ran past the mortuary and graveyard. At about mile three there was a short downhill and I weaved through some slower runners and left my pace buddy behind. By miles 3 to 6 the crowd was starting to thin out a bit and I settled into a very steady pace and got into a groove with my legs feeling good and engine running smooth. Around this time I caught up with and passed the 2:15 pacer so my initial plan was in place. Downed a Gu at mile 6 and refilled my hand-held Fluid bottle from the bottle on my belt pack while on the run and only sloshed a bit. After the turnaround on a small out-and-back segment at mile 7 I saw my pace buddy from the start and gave her an encouraging wave. The stretch along miles 7 to 10 had some rollers and low grade climbs, legs still kept moving and engine was still running smooth. Going up the hill at mile 10 I knew this would be the only hard part and I cruised right up, my hill training earlier in the season was paying off. The last 3 miles along the ocean offered a great view and the cheering residents along the route helped with motivation. My feet started to feel the miles and legs were getting a little tire but my engine was running smooth. As I passed the mile 13 marker and rounded the corner to the finish line I had enough left in the tank to kick up the pace to a full run and finish strong! What would you do differently?: Nothing, everything went as planned.  Post race
Warm down: Stretched my legs, drank some recovery Fluid, ate the provided breakfast burrito, then got on the shuttle back to the start. What limited your ability to perform faster: Since it was my first HM, I kept my pace steady and fairly conservative. My training was for distance, not speed. Event comments: Was the perfect event for my first Half-Marathon. Looking forward to running it again next year! Profile Album Last updated: 2013-08-26 12:00 AM
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United States
60F / 16C
Overcast
Overall Rank = 863/1852
Age Group = <35-39
Age Group Rank = 59/93
Picked up my race packet at the pre-race expo, got my gear together and tried to get to sleep early, with marginal success. This being my first Half-Marathon I was trying to keep the pre-race nerves calm.
Woke up bright and early and heard from my running buddy who had to bow out due to being sick. Drove down to the start line and joked about how empty downtown SLO is at 6:00am on a Sunday morning... except for the big crowd gathered at the start line! Joined the crowd around the pace timer I was targeting (2:15) and waiting for the start.