I have been focusing on my run this spring and have run much further than I have since I started running two years ago. Laura helped me modify a half marathon training program and I stuck to it =)

The race start was fairly crowded and running through a mob for position was a little annoying, but it cleared up considerably by mile 1. I tried to avoid looking at my garmin, but I checked my pace a few times early on to make sure I wasn't taking it out too fast. (Garmin was set to time, distance and avg. pace). At mile two I saw the average pace was about 8:00, at the higher end of my goal pace brackets (8:00 being the top goal, 8:12, 8:20). At that point I felt pretty good and although I wasn't 100% sure I could maintain it, I went for my top goal!

Soon the first climb began and the pack continues to thin out. Still, there were so many people, and many who didn't look like runners at all! Passing me?! Using this as motivation, I attacked the climb and really lengthened it out on the downhill, knowing what my quads will feel like tomorrow - I don't care about that now!

I overdid it on the downhills in mile four and needed to recover - looking back at my splits, it's hard to tell I was coasting... Got a gel at the halfway point and tried to avoid getting gel/sports drink all over my hands but that didn't work out all that well... sticky hands all the way until the next water station =/

The hill up colvin is the real turning point in the race. The beginning of the 2nd series of climbs, all visible at once and daring you to race up it. I was feeling the burn, trying to hold it together.

Then it was up Comstock and Ostrum into Thornden park, my old neighborhood where I first started running. There was a full brass band and lots of cheering people, which gave me the boost I needed to tackle the long, gradual uphill into the park. Thornden was great this year, lots of sidewalk chalk across the road with motivational, but sometimes ominous writing ("This won't last forever" on a downhill).

Knowing the race is almost over, I sensed most of the people around me pick it up as we descended Madison to East Genesee street. One guy in particular was doing very well - I had passed him going up the hill and he took off, 30, 60, 100 yards in front of me. I *really* wanted to catch him! Can't really sprint one mile out, so I focused on turnover and a very slight speedup. It took a better part of half a mile to catch him, just before the final turn towards the finish line. I had almost nothing left to kick, but I gave it my best shot. About 5 yards before the finish line, a 16 year old girl races by me like I'm running backwards (and I'm going sub-7 at that point...) All done! Broke 80! PR by 8:00 over last year, WOOOO!

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Found Laura and Bella, grabbed some food, stretched out, found my Dad and walked back across town to get the car.


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This race is growing on me - it's great to see all the fast runners in CNY.

I wouldn't be offended if there were a few more water stations, I was pretty parched at some points. Not bad though =)