Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon - Run

Couldn't wait to get moving it was so cold. I kept my hood up for the first mile and would have kept it up longer but the wind blew it down. I wasn't sure if I wanted to do my run/walk interval or walk up the hills or what, so I decided to try to get to mile 6 before intentionally stopping to walk. I felt really good, and only walked a few steps up hills and at aid stations before an actual walk break at mile 7.5. Took a Clif gel at the mile 8 aid station and it hit the spot. Shortly after that I had a runner's high/gratitude moment, feeling so lucky and grateful to be doing this, and I loved running so much in that moment.

For a few miles around this time, I got seriously stuck in the 2:45 pace group. They were doing a 1-minute run, 20-second walk, and I kept passing them and getting enveloped by then. For probably two miles, haha! The group was so big that it became a challenge to find my own space. And I got irritated that I could hear their leader yelling and hollering over my ear buds. I mean, yay strangers, I'm proud of you! But can you not scream every 5 seconds kthx! Finally I think they got ahead of me on a hill so I was in the clear and calm again. They had started in the wave before me, so I wasn't concerned about making or not making the finish line with their pace time.

Took my gloves off finally at mile 9, now it was a little warmer but I was very comfortable in all fleece lined attire otherwise. Felt good in every mile, nothing hurt or gave out on me. My nose ran a lot and got a little raw, but that's the worst of it!

The finish was pretty cool, they routed us into Georgia State Stadium and you finished on the field. And, this was officially the final day of my Thanksgiving 2018 to Thanksgiving 2019 run streak - 372 days total. A great way to end my streak!

Nothing.

Walked out of the stadium, then the 1.4 miles to the train station, through a little bit of ghetto-y but empty streets.


Great Thanksgiving morning race in the A! So much fun!