Mercedes Half-Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

Race goal was 1:38-1:40.

Problems before the race even started. My coach said to warm-up and weigh as close as possible to the start. So I did. The starter corral was packed, I made it up to the 9:00/mile group. Crap, I'm going to have to do alot of weaving.

Race gun goes off and it takes maybe 30 seconds to reach the start line/timing mats. I stayed to the far right of the road the first few turns of the course, because all of the turns are to the left and I was moving way faster than the crowd. The course stayed crowded up until the 4 mile point. After that I found a guy running the pace I wanted and matched him stride for stride. Why think about pace when someone else can do it. Followed this guy up till mile 6, this is when the course turned into a uphill, downhill, repeat. My mark/pacer was fading on the uphills so I was off to find a new one. Same scenario happened three more times until I hit mile ten.

This is the point were coach wanted me to starting running at race pace. Training Pace = 155-175 bpm and Race Pace = 175-185 bpm. Passed by the race clock at mile 11 and it said 1:21 and change. Close to mile 12 I could feel a cramp coming on in my left calf and I thought oh crap. Went though mile 12 and the clock said 1:27 and change. At this point I'm thinking screw 1:38, I'm going to go under 1:35. So I pushed as hard as I could while trying to hold off the cramp. After mile 12 there were two guys handing out beer and oeros, dang I so wanted an oreo. ;) Made the turn onto 20th street and thought crap I forgot about the little downhill and following uphill. This is were the cramp finally hit me. Made it through the up hill and the final 200 yards before the finishing shoot. Made the last two turns and I could see 1:34:00 on the race clock, so I kinda shut it down because a sub 1:35 was in the bag.

Start out in the back of the 7:00/mile group. Have and use salt tablets. Made good decisions and paced well. I passed 46 +/- a few people in the last 5K.

Half Marathon Progression
Feb 08 - 1:50
Nov 08 - 1:42
Feb 09 - 1:34

Returned my chip, got my finishers shirt and medal. Walked to the car to weigh and stretch.


Needed salt tablets and drink more. I was supposed to use salt tablets but my LBS were both out and neither of the two vendors at the expo had any.


This race was very good. They changed the course from 08, but was still challenging.