July 31st brought me to my 13th race! Time is sure flying! I headed to the San Francisco Half Marathon hoping to beat my time from last year which was 3:09.
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| Our shirts are ready for race morning! |
I was running this race with Matt, Sara, Rose and Adam! We headed out of the house and towards the starting line before 4:30. When corraling began we learned that we could not sneak Rose and Adam into our corral and they were a few back from us. The year before we had jumped corrals easily, this year there was tighter security. So Sara, Matt and I began to get ready for the race to start in our corral.
Before we knew it we were off and running! I was feeling pretty confident as we started off, I was getting past the mental game where I can only think about the fact that I still have thirteen miles to go. Before I knew it was on the ground and Matt was pulling me up and we were on the side of the course. I had fallen less than half a mile into the race!! I had turned my ankle and skinned my knee.
I walked it off , took a peek, and stopped hyper ventilating and then took off once again. I didn't want to stop at an aide station, I had already taken enough time off and I had a goal....less then 3:09! Once Matt decided I was ok, he took off and I continued on my way. I ran as much as I could and I walked hills. About mile 3 there was a woman behind me that just wouldn't leave me alone..I figured out she was using me a pacer. I decided I couldn't stop running because someone wanted to run like me!! :) Before mile 5 she stopped running, and I turned to her and said, "No! We have to keep going!" She told me she'd catch up to me.
When I finally got on the bridge, I checked my watch and thought I was doing great, I started looking for Matt and Sara because I knew they were in front of me. I had crossed almost half of the bridge and still hadn't seen them running back, that I figured they must have been way in front of me. I started to become discouraged, because I had wanted to see someone I knew, but all of a sudden I saw Matt running, and shortly behind him I saw Sara, and then I got a new energy! I was so excited that I wasn't that far behind them, (maybe like a mile and a half). I kept running, and when I turned to go back across the bridge I kept an eye out for Rose and Adam, because they started after me I knew they'd be coming. Before I knew it I saw Rose and then quickly after I saw Adam.
I found some women before mile 8 that had a nice pace going so I ran behind them until we got off the bridge and then I passed them. Somewhere between mile 10 and 11 I saw a marriage proposal, the guy started running next to the girl, she said yes, she grabbed the ring and left him in the dust. She didn't stop for one second.
When I got to the last hilly street I got excited because I knew the end was near. I had been checking my watch and my goals for my time had been changing as I hit each mile of the race. I would walk up the hill at the top run down , run the straightaway, walk up, etc. until I reached the end of the street and started into the park. I kept thinking the end would be there soon, but it just seemed like a mirage. Finally there it was I took off in a sprint and crossed that finish line!
I finished the race in exactly 2 hours and 50 minutes! I cut 19 minutes off my race time in 1 year, plus setting a great PR!
Once the race finished I went to the aide tent and got my knee cleaned and bandaged, the event staff couldn't believe that I had continued on without getting it clean.
I felt like I could have continued running once I was finished, which is good since I have that full marathon coming up! I have never felt so good after a race! Even though I turned my ankle and scraped up my knee. I didn't feel sore after this race, except for my injuries, the rest of my body felt great!
San Francisco Half Marathon was a great run!
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| Before the race! We are ready to run! |
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| This picture was taken after the run was over! |
When I finally got on the bridge, I checked my watch and thought I was doing great, I started looking for Matt and Sara because I knew they were in front of me. I had crossed almost half of the bridge and still hadn't seen them running back, that I figured they must have been way in front of me. I started to become discouraged, because I had wanted to see someone I knew, but all of a sudden I saw Matt running, and shortly behind him I saw Sara, and then I got a new energy! I was so excited that I wasn't that far behind them, (maybe like a mile and a half). I kept running, and when I turned to go back across the bridge I kept an eye out for Rose and Adam, because they started after me I knew they'd be coming. Before I knew it I saw Rose and then quickly after I saw Adam.
I found some women before mile 8 that had a nice pace going so I ran behind them until we got off the bridge and then I passed them. Somewhere between mile 10 and 11 I saw a marriage proposal, the guy started running next to the girl, she said yes, she grabbed the ring and left him in the dust. She didn't stop for one second.
When I got to the last hilly street I got excited because I knew the end was near. I had been checking my watch and my goals for my time had been changing as I hit each mile of the race. I would walk up the hill at the top run down , run the straightaway, walk up, etc. until I reached the end of the street and started into the park. I kept thinking the end would be there soon, but it just seemed like a mirage. Finally there it was I took off in a sprint and crossed that finish line!
I finished the race in exactly 2 hours and 50 minutes! I cut 19 minutes off my race time in 1 year, plus setting a great PR!
Once the race finished I went to the aide tent and got my knee cleaned and bandaged, the event staff couldn't believe that I had continued on without getting it clean.
I felt like I could have continued running once I was finished, which is good since I have that full marathon coming up! I have never felt so good after a race! Even though I turned my ankle and scraped up my knee. I didn't feel sore after this race, except for my injuries, the rest of my body felt great!
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After the race!! |
Up Next: Pleasenton Tri for Fun!
