We wound up starting around the 9:30 min area and as it turned out it was just about right for me, who would'a thunk. It took us a few minutes for us to get to the mats do to all the people that were packed in there, but as we got closer the pace started to pick up to a light jog and then once over the mats the pace picked up even more. When we made the turn down Canton there was a lot of whooping and hollering and we were all trying to figure out what it was, when Aaron came streaking down the right hand side in his feathered briefs and carrying the now infamous American Flag. I would assume they were whooping the flag and hollering the briefs. Quite a site to see if I do say so myself. Our plan was to jog the first mile all together and then let our paces work themsleves out, but Brad and Tyler would wind up warming up a lot faster than the rest of us. I would find out at about mile two that we were on a 10 minute pace and that is when the heard really started to thin out. I lost Debra and Annie right around mile 4 as they caught up with some friends of theirs and slowed their pace. Josie and I continued off on our own. As we made the turn down Houston street Josie started to pick up the pace a little and I just sort of hung back a little bit as my heart rate was up around the mid 180's, and I knew I couldn't hold that rate for long. I downed about half of my cliff blocks. When I hit my split at mile 6 I knew I was going to be going for a personal record. I downed the other half of my blocks and picked up my pace a little. I was just under and hour and I only had two miles left. I needed to pick up the pace. I was looking for Annie, Debra, and Josie at the u turn but I couldn't find any of them. I only saw Brad and Tyler way in front of me. I increased my pace to around 9:15 and finished in 1:18:26. A personal best for me as the only other time I have run this distance it wound up being 11:20 miles. When I crossed the finish line Brad said did we miss Debra and Annie or did you pass them. He had trouble believing I ran that fast too.

Not a damn thing. This is a personal best for me.

Turned in our chips. Grabbed a bunch of water and one gatorade and hung out around the finish looking for Debra, Annie and Josie. Ran the gauntlet to the flag poles and did some stretching and tried to loosen up talking to friends and smiling at my race time.


Nothing. I went fater than I thought I could.


This was my first ever event to attend so I don't have anything to go by, but I will be doing this even next year and I am looking forward to it.