ARR Desert Classic 1/2 marathon - RunHalf Marathon

Going into this race, I had several possible goals. First, I wanted to run it faster than I did last year (2:20). Beyond that, I wanted to run it faster than my previous best 1/2 marathon (2:17:24). Third, if possible, I wanted to run it below 2:15. Unlike other 1/2 marathons I have done, this was the first time I planned to race, rather than just finish or have fun. I rode to the race site, got my stuff together, locked up the bike and checked in. I went to use the bathroom before it started, but there were only four for the entire event. When the event started, I was still finishing up and making my way toward the start. Thankfully, it was chip timed. However, I have never failed to be waiting at the start of a race - this was a little stressful, starting 5 minutes after the gun went off and not with the pack. I walked quickly toward the start and broke into my run as I crossed the start line. While it was a decent warmup, it was not the calm start that I am used to - my HR was already in the 120s when I crossed the line.

In order to break my stretch goal of 2:15, I knew I needed to average 10:18 miles for the whole race. As I finished the first few miles, I was ranging anywhere from 9:50 to 10:12. That put a little time in the bank that I might need later, but I was concerned that I might be going out a little fast, especially since I was running uphill. When I made it to the turnaround, I knew that I was on a pretty good pace.

I started back and when I passed the sign for mile 7, I looked at my watch and saw a 10:43 - WHAT? That was way over pace, and I started to wonder if I was falling apart. I would need to pull it together if I was going to hit my goals. The next few miles, things started to get tough, but the times were in the 10:20 to 10:35 range, so it wasn't going completely south. However, the cushion that I had built in the first half was evaporating quickly, and my margin for error was narrowing.

I have noticed a bad mental weakness I have to settle when things get tough. I talk myself into accepting the way things are going and be happy with what I am able to accomplish - be it just finishing or bettering a previous time. However, while I am always able to push myself to move forward, I am very poor at pushing myself to move faster and outside of my comfort zone. I would need to break that tendency to get the time I wanted in this race.

When I finished mile 10 in 10:11, I felt like I was back on track, and while hurting, I still may have a chance at even my stretch goal. I figured I would check my overall time at the end of mile 12, and assess what was still within reach. When I passed the marker for mile 12, I checked my overall time and saw that I had about 11-12 minutes to break 2:15. It was still possible. When I passed the sign for mile 26 of the marathon (which meant I had .2 left to go), I saw that I only had 1:40 left until the clock struck 2:15. While 2:20 and a sub 2:17 PR were in the bag, 2:15 was hanging by a thread. I typically don't run under a 10:00 pace when I'm fresh, but I was going to have to do it after 13 miles - I needed to find a gear that I probably had burned out miles ago.

I pushed up a short hill and downhill toward the finish with all I had left, and I was counting the seconds in my head as I went. When I was approaching the finish, I knew that I had about 10-20 seconds left and I would cross the line in right around the magic number. I crossed the line, slowed down a couple of steps, and stopped my watch at 2:14:58 (the official time posted later had me at 2:14:55). I was spent, and I hadn't left myself any wiggle room, but I had done it.



Nothing - I think I maxed out my current fitness during this race.

After sitting down with a water for a minute or two, I decided it would probably be best to get back on the bike and head home before my legs stiffened up.


Fitness level; Possibly a little dehydrated, but time taken to drink more likely would have cancelled out the effect of being hydrated, so a wash.


Inexpensive race, but not a lot of frills.