Detroit Half Marathon - Run

This was a hard run. I don't remember specifics like some people do--see Trixie's report for fillers ;)

The first 3 miles were okay. We seemed to keep right around 11 minutes miles, and we walked for 1 minute at each mile (which is more running than I trained to do). When we hit the aid station at the 3-mile mark, I took a gel. We finished our mile 4 walk break at the bottom of the bridge incline--which meant we ran the entire rise of the bridge, a 5% grade. We walked 1 minute, and then we were at the downhill, where I just let myself go, and let my body pick up speed as I went down the other side of the bridge. At the bottom of the bridge, Trixie and Carol caught up with me at the bottom. D and the Cs were waiting right before the 6-mile water station. We stopped long enough for D to take a couple pictures, and to slap the boys hands (and for me to dump my vest), and we were off.
***TMI Section*** At this point, I REALLY had to go #2. I can't stand porta-potties, but we were only half-way, and I knew I was going to have a REALLY bad race from this point forward if I didn't just suck it up. I was starting to feel a little sick to my stomach--not a good sign. Carol had to use the potty too (Trixie had hit a bush a little earlier), so when we came up on a large line of porta potties with almost no line, it was the place to stop! We figure we spent about 5 minutes there, between the line-up etc. When we got started again, I was picking up the pace a little--I just felt SOO much better.

We made it to the tunnel. They record your underwater mile as part of your splits, so Trixie decided to take off on us, and meet up on the other side. I let the downhill of the tunnel take me away! I have no idea how fast I was running. The uphill was hard, but I was determined not to stop running until we hit the other side of the underwater mile.

When we came out of the tunnel we met back up with Trixie, and Fromer was there too. From this point on (we had just cleared the 9-mile mark) the race got HARD. It became harder and harder to get started back up after walking, and I was slowing down considerably.

By mile 10 & 11 I was groaning a little. I was having a hard time, and I just couldn't keep up the pace. Carol and Trixie would get a little ahead (like 5-10 feet), and then I'd try to concentrate on my breathing and speed up a little to catch and pass them. My legs were just getting so stiff (stiffer than a teenage boy in a whorehouse as trixie said ;) ).

I really did feel like I pushed through the pain a little more than I ever had before. I fought the urge, as much as I could to walk. There was one point, I think it was right before the 12-mile mark, when I just HAD to stop running. I walked for 5-10 steps, and then saw the marker up ahead, so I started running again until I got there.

We FINALLY made it to the ramp that would take us down onto Ford Field. It was a pretty steep ramp, and I tried to control my speed, but it hurt to--ALOT! So I decided to just let go. When I saw the grass of Ford Field, I let go and ran as fast and as hard as I could. I think I surprised Trixie that I had that in me at the end of 13 miles. Don't tell her, but I think I surprised myself ;) I was DONE!! I got my medal, and they cut off my chip, and I was SO GLAD to be done.

***Official results are in. I gained TWO spots in my age group in the last couple minutes. I also (for the only time it ever will happen) BEAT TRIXIE!!! ;)

I definitely did not RUN enough in the last couple months. I did do the long runs, but I needed to get more short runs in, and more race pace runs. I need more strength training for sure, and just more running volume, if I want to improve my run times at all.

I layed on the field for a little bit. I put a Ben-Gay sticky patch on my shoulder--it was feeling pretty tight. I stood in line to get my finish photo taken, and then we headed up the stairs to get to the food. After food, we met back up with Fromer and headed out for showers and greasy burgers at Eastern Market.


My run volume was too low for a race of this length--by a lot. I also had not done much hill training, and I think the bridge and tunnel took too much out of me. It gives me some good things to watch for in order to have a better time next time.


This is a good race. Water/Gatorade every mile was really nice. Every mile was marked, and the finish on Ford Field was seriously rad ;) A little more substance to the food would be nice, but overall, this is a well-run race, and I would do it again.