Overall, an excellent run. I did a great job pacing myself and at nutrition. Had one gel right before start and another at the half-way point. One thing is for sure - running events are SO much easier than triathlons, especially in terms of nutrition.
There weren't all that many runners in the half-mary (they also had 1mile, 5K and 10K races), so once everybody got spread out after the first 3-4miles, it was pretty sparse.
Not a single person passed me for the entire race, after the initial mass spread out. For the first 6 miles, the only other people that I passed were old and female. It was a bit demoralizing ... "why was I the only young person, and the only male, that I had seen in like 4 miles?!" I was thinking. Finally right around the half-way I catch up with this younger girl and am motivated to pass her, and I can see several people in the distance. The further along I got in the race, the more people I'd pass, probably 15 total. One guy I passed and then he immediately passed me back (I think he was running with this other slower guy and he turned it up a notch to the finish).
But it was definitely good I had my ipod, especially on the lonely parts of the course. There were MANY times when I couldn't see ANYONE around.
I thought every once in a while about cadence and ChiRunning ideas, which definitely helped especially on the hills in the second half.
I did significantly better (30sec/mile faster than Inside-Out Sports Half Mary in October), which I mainly attribute to a few things:
- Kept a slightly faster pace during the bulk of the race, since I knew I could get thru without issues, having done it once already. I think the short, fast runs I've done recently might have helped with this, and especially with my kick over the last 5K. Last time I was very reserved, wanting to make sure I finished the whole thing running.
- Walked fewer and shorter at aid stations. At the first aid station I didn't get anything since I was well hydrated. Then at several I would just grab a cup and have a sip or two on the run. At ~2 I would stop and fast-walk and have most of the cup. Did the same at the half-way with the gel. Before, I took a good bit more time at the aid stations, not stopping but walking more slowly.
- Didn't have to stop to tie any shoes (did last time).

Not much. Train more so I can run faster.
Very happy with pacing and nutrition.
Official chip time was 2:09:08, which is consistent with what I'd expect. As I said somewhere, there was no timing mat at the start and I was at the back of the pack.

Walked around, had some water.


I'm slow!! Seriously it's somewhat demoralizing that everyone else in these races who is even remotely my age or sex is SOOO much faster than I am.
I guess that's partly at least because most of them probably had track/cross-country training, or at least did varsity sports in either HS or college. The last time I played a serious team sport was in elementary school.