Raleigh Rocks Half Marathon - RunHalf Marathon

I hope to look back on all this and laugh but right now my feet ache, my legs ache, my aches ache! Prepared as I thought I may have been today was a reliaziation of humility...which I do not take easily or lying down. Here's how it went in my best humorous words.
My first thought was am I the only guy here with more than one ounce of fat, hell actually 20+. Even more, some guys had their shirts off and thought well hell I might do that too, yea right!

START: set out easy and kept to my set mph I had trained, and my heart rate was through the roof though...I attest this to real time event vs training, so ok.

Mile 1: Ok, if every one wants to pass me now then you all will just have to wait for me to finish!
Mile 2: Saw Lori and Brittney run by and I think they were having a very casual conversation about life and not even sweating, my HR was 175!
Mile 3: Ok relaxing a bit and began to hit my stride, always do around 3 miles, HR was dropping.
Mile 4: Problems starting, chafing! Damn, forgot the body glide, shirt was soaked!
Mile 5: WTF, did a guy just pass me running with a stroller.
Mile 6: Saw the family at Meredith. Took a 2 minute break to say hi to everyone.
Mile 7: Had to stop and walk 1 minute and coming up on the Museum trail..which I run on some days.
Mile 8: Picking up speed, BUT uh oh, my equipment issues, damn chafing, had to make some position changes, oh no, and the blister come to life.
Mile 9: What the hell, is my knee of fire, this has never happened..started walking to get it under control. Then the dreaded plantar fasciitis comes back in my right foot, NOW IT's On, problem is, it's on me. Not only is my right knee on fire but my right foot just as last time decided to stay home. Stopped to say hi to the family again as we passed by where they were standing again, another 2 minutes, but worth it. The only feeling in my right foot luckly enough was that darn blister!
Mile 10: Running again back on Hillsboro Street. I ask myself who's damn idea was this to run 13 frigging miles! And I'm planning to do an Ironman, oh yea, much more training!
Mile 11: Hitting stride again but with a distingished limp on my right side. Planned a 10 minute mile and was on target till my right knee and foot just shut down...walking now.
Mile 12: Running again, trying to make up time, passing all the guys with double strollers drinking Starbucks and talking on their cell phones!!!!! Why am I out here!!
Mile 13: Last mile, no way I'm gonna walk this. Foot is asleep and knee says no but I say go! Hurts like hell but I'm going to finish strong.
FINISH: About a 1000 yard finish on Fayetteville Street Mall, actually very cool way to do it. Band playing, folks cheering, see Brittney and Lori cheering, feeling good, and I say, oh yes, well worth it and I'll do it again. I finished 10 minutes beyond what I had planned, minus 4 when I stopped to see family, not to bad to be 6 mintes off to only have run < 3 months to prepare for this.


I have much more training for this. Work on hills, sprints, distance, lots in every category. If you can win on heart I would have done better.

Hiding my pain I walk through the crowd and high five folks then quietly turn the corner and limp to the truck to down ADVIL, grab ICE, and hope I can drive using only my left foot.

Yes, it hurt but I loved every minute of it! And I'll be doing it again soon!


I have only been training for 3 months since a 5 year bout with plantar fasciitis in both feet and need to trim down 30 more pounds. The weight is the main problem. I anticipate 8 minute mile average once I drop to ~ 185 ish.


I loved the finish, great bank, well organized. Since it's "Raleigh Rocks", really need to have more bands. Overall, very good and fun race