This was my first race over 4 miles. I wasn't quite sure what to expect out of it so I just wanted to have fun. For my training I followed the 9 week half Mary plan for intermediate runners from runners world. The plan had me in very good shape both mentally and physically. I didn't miss any of my long runs, so I knew the distance would be no problem and it wasn't. I was hoping to run 8 minute miles. As for the run itself most of it is on a simple two lane road, running through a few of these little towns along 30-A on the gulf coast. One stretch at the beginning is a boulevard with a big divider in the middle. The route makes it a little harder for this race to grow all that much, I think 2000 is probably a good number and they shouldn't go much higher.

Not knowing what running a half Mary was like I didn't do the best at self-seeding. There were no real identifiers to tell where someone hoping for 8 minute miles or a finish time of 1:45, so I just guessed. I put myself to far back, but that didn't matter all that much. My first mile was right about 8 minutes and then the second mile I relly got going too fast to get through the crowds. After realising that I had to slow down, I really got into a good rythm and clocked my next 8 miles all between 7:48 and 7:52, right in my sweet spot. I thought all along that 8 minute miles was giing myself too much of cushion, but being my first I wasn't really sure what to expect.My plan was to run the first 10 at right around 8s and did that no problem. The final 3 miles I was shooting for 7:30s so at mile 10 I picked up the pace a bit. After about .25 mile I took about 4 steps with a pain shooting up my knee (I have been struggling with a little knee pain for the last few weeks and just battled through. Yeah I know that's pretty stupid, but what can I say I had the plane ticket and wsan't backing out of the race). I backed down a little bit and struggled on for the rest of that mile. At mile 11 I gave it another go, and like usual with this pain, it went away after picking up the pace (I think it has more to do with my form than anything else, I have trouble running slower). So I did th efinal two miles in 7:30 and 7:28. Mile 13 was my fastest mile of the race. I don't know if that is a good thing or a bad thing. As I was approaching the finish I really kicked it up and got some nice comments about really finishing strong. I saw on the clock that I was at 1:43 and change and was really happy. Made it through the finishers shoot and picked up my Vera Bradley bag and as I was exiting the tent realized I didn't stop my Garmin, clicked stop and saw 1:42:09 and was really pumped. I knew it had to have taken more than 10 seconds to get from the electric timing through and out the tent so my official time would be under 1:42. My mom and GF were there at the other end of the tent and I gave them a hug, it was all over.

Seeded myself higher at the start. It took me 2 minutes to get over the start/finish line. That was quite a few people I had to wade through until things opened up.

Dump out water before I tried to drink, cups were filled too much, no big deal, I finally got the hang of it after the halfway point.

Not too much else really though, for my first half Mary I think things went pretty well and as expected.

Walked around Seaside. Talked to my GF, parents, and brother-in-law. Grabebd a BBQ sandwhich and hung out waiting for my sister to complete the race.


Nothing


Fun race overall. Great setting. Hope to get more of my family to race or spectate next year.