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American Family Fitness Half-Marathon - Run


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Richmond, VA
United States
Sportsbackers
27F / -3C
Sunny
Total Time = 1h 40m 33s
Overall Rank = 549/8452
Age Group = 65-69
Age Group Rank = 1/52
Pre-race routine:

Got up around 4:30, getting 7 hours sleep. No pre-race jitters. Although 1st time using Hansons training for a half, more comfortable with managing results expectations having done their marathon training twice. Was still pretty full from spaghetti dinner the night before, but forced down a slice of bread w/pb + banana and Monster.
Event warmup:

Walked the 6 blocks from our hotel to the race start, and that served as a great overall warm-up. Didn't do much else. Stood around for a while, then 15 minutes before the race shed my blanket and sweat pants. This was the coldest start to this event in the 2000s, but oddly enough didn't feel all that cold. Shorts, s/s tech shirt, Frank Shorter sleeves and gloves, + ear-warmers, and I was good to go.
Run
  • 1h 40m 33s
  • 13.1 miles
  • 07m 41s  min/mile
Comments:

Stationed in the first corral, I positioned myself behind the 1:40:00 pace group, turned up my music, and vowed to go out at 7:50 for the first mile, so was quite pleased that I rang up a 7:53. Goal pace was closer to 7:40/mile. The next few miles were on cruise control: 7:39, 7:38, 7:27, 7:32, 7:36. So after 6 miles I was at 7:38ish, and I knew I would drop a little in and around the park, and sure enough the next 2 miles were 7:45 & 7:55. Regrouped out of that area with a 7:42 and 7:35. Miles 10 and 11 were disappointing (7:44 and 7:43), but half-way through mile 12 hit that downhill, and with a 7:35 + 0:47 finish reclaimed my 7:40 overall pace.
What would you do differently?:

Not much. I trained for a 1:41:00, so finishing officially in 1:40:33 (my watch had 1:40:31) has to be considered a success. Besides which, according to their requirements, my time gave me a time-qualified (though non-guaranteed ) entry to the 2015 New York City Marathon. Having already qualified for Boston 2 out of 2 times using Hansons Marathon Method, this is especially sweet, since New York's requirements are much tougher.
Post race
Warm down:

Except for walking around Brown's Island, eating things and buying discounted tech shirts, nothing.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

The fact that I'm so freaking old.

Event comments:

This is a well-organized race event, and starting in downtown Richmond, running through different neighborhoods, and finishing by the river, I think is just well-thought out. I finished in the top 6.5% of all runners, and the top 13.3% of male runners, not too shabby for someone approaching his 66th birthday.




Last updated: 2014-11-15 12:00 AM
Running
01:40:33 | 13.1 miles | 07m 41s  min/mile
Age Group: 1/52
Overall: 549/8452
Performance: Good
Course: Pretty flat, with some rolling roads through Bryan Park in the middle of the race, and a very sweet downhill the last 1/2 mile.
Keeping cool Average Drinking Not enough
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
Physical exertion [1-5] 5
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Average
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2014-11-15 6:44 PM

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Subject: American Family Fitness Half-Marathon


2014-11-17 10:57 AM
in reply to: #5067830

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Subject: RE: American Family Fitness Half-Marathon
WOW great job! i hope when I'm 65 i can still be running but I'll have to speed up to catch you, that was an awesome time!
2014-11-19 11:04 AM
in reply to: KWDreamun

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Subject: RE: American Family Fitness Half-Marathon
Thanks, Karl! Hansons is a demanding training program, but the payoffs for me (2 BQs, and now NYC) have been huge. This race, on an age-adjusted time, is a PR as well.
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