Hilton Head Island Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon


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Hilton Head, South Carolina
United States
Barefoot Sports
45F / 7C
Overcast
 		Total Time = 2h 08m 14s
Overall Rank = 247/333
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 0/
Pre-race routine:

We didn't get into Hilton Head until around 10:30, ordered some food to the room....ate a chicken sandwich at 11:30pm - way later than I needed to be eating.

Slept midnight to 5am.

Morning - ate Powerbar and Ensure. Lots of water.
Event warmup:

Very short jog - maybe 2 minutes. It was cold, and I didn't really want to overdue it...the first half of the race was going to be the warm-up.
Run
  • 2h 08m 14s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 09m 47s  min/mile
Comments:

This was my first half marathon. This was also the first run over ten miles I have ever attempted. That being said, I was just going to start easy and continue at a pace that I thought would get me all the way home. Anything under 10min/mile was completely ok with me. The start was crowded. The 10k race started with us...probably 600 altogether. I have only done 5ks and tris, so this was a bit different to me. Going at the 9:45 pace, the crowd slowly pulled away leaving us BOP folks to ourselves. Ran the first three or four miles behind a group of girls and one guy who talked a whole bunch...I just eavesdropped on the conversation - that kept my mind occupied. I decided against the Ipod, being my first race I wanted to have my eyes and ears open to the experience. Three of the girls (and the guy) wore too-toos. Mile 3..had to pee...asked the cop where the port-a-johns were, he said there are none.Talked to the people around me, they said that this was a "shoe-string budget" race...so I should probably find my own bathroom. So I peed on the side of a firehouse. Took a gel at mile 6.5, the turn was at mile 8. Mile 8-10 were the toughest..."mind over matter" was my mantra of the day. I wasn't in pain. I wasn't ill. So why do I need to stop? Mile 11...holy crap...I'm here. I had some gas left, so pushed a bit harder. Mile 12...In the bag. Continued to push...I don't have splits, but I think they were close to this:
Mile 1 9:55
Mile 2-10 9:45
Miie 12 and 13: 9:00

Although I have read that at the end of a race it feels like a greater effort to go the same pace you have been keeping...who knows...I just hate the idea of hitting my watch at every marker.



What would you do differently?:

Drink less...or at least stop fluid intake sooner - like two hours before (sips only)
Post race
Warm down:

Walked around...they had a guy singing and playing guitar. Did not stay for the awards.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Not training the full distance. Longest before this race was 9.8 miles.

I had a lot of fun...I think in the fall I will look for a bigger half mary to do. I would have done Myrtle Half next weekend, but I have to work.

Event comments:

Needed port-a-johns on the course.Don't most half marys and marathons have bathrooms along the way?




Last updated: 2007-02-12 12:00 AM
Running
02:08:14 | 13.1 miles | 09m 47s  min/mile
Age Group: 0/
Overall: 0/333
Performance: Good
Course: Out and back (sort of). Flat (except for a mile stretch (done twice) over the bridge.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Too much
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 3
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 3