Jenk's Half Marathon

     This last week was all about prepping for my half marathon on Saturday and it was the first official week of the marathon taper. The taper is a discussion for another post all by itself.  This is all about my second half marathon.

     Now my first half marathon was in April at the Oklahoma City Memorial marathon.  It started after a 2 hour severe weather delay. In ended with temperatures in the 90's and high humidity.  Back then I was walk/run method, I finished with a chip time of 3:12:59 and a gun time of 3:27:39. Now my trainer did the full marathon in 2:52 something.  Did you see that he did twice the mileage 20 minutes faster than I did half of it.  That pissed me off.  Probably why I kept running and trying to improve.  The bitch of it was I couldn't even cuss about it because he stayed and cheered me in and told me how great I did.  Don't you just hate it when you want to have a melt down cussing fit and you can't because people are being nice. Geesh!

     The Jenk's Half Marathon dawned on a windy crisp 55 degrees and started right on time at 8 am.  There was 500 and something entrants.  It started just down the street from the Jenk's track and ended on the track.  The gun goes off and here we go.

     Miles 1-2 seemed to drag by mainly I think because I kept looking at my watch for my pace and trying to slow myself down.  I did not want to repeat the Tulsa Run experience of just hanging on the last 2 miles. 

      Mile 3-4 were easy pace wise. I was running by a group called Running the Streets which is mentoring program for teens in Bartlesville OK.  One of the girls started asking me about how long I had been running and what all distances I had ran.  I told her I was a newbie and training for my first full.  She allowed this was her fifth half marathon.  She wants to do a full but her dad won't let her until she turns 16!  OMG!  Nice kid, I passed her eventually but just because she had to stay with the group.  I may have to look into one of the mentoring running groups.

      Miles 5-7 were rolling hills but manageable.  Mile 8 was a hill a mile long straight into the wind.  I did not think it was ever going to be over.   Mile 9 was downhill always my favorite.  I may have picked off a few people here. Since most people use the downhill to recover instead of attacking.

       Mile 10 I realized it was almost over with just a 5K left.  I looked at my watch and knew if I picked up my pace a bit and maintained I could be under 2:30. So I did.  I picked off people and no they did not come back for me like at the Tulsa run.

     The Splits were as follows:

Mile   1 - 11:21
Mile   2 - 11:30
Mile   3 - 11:39
Mile   4 - 11:39
Mile   5 - 11:20
Mile   6 - 11:38
Mile   7 - 11:28
Mile   8 - 11:11
Mile   9 - 11:02
Mile 10 - 11:21
Mile 11 - 10:41
Mile 12 - 10:51
Mile 13 - 10:19
Mile .2 -   9:22

    Chip Time was 2:27:52   Gun Time 2:28:26

     Now if you do the math that is a Chip time PR of 46 minutes. Which is great and I am damn proud of it, but when you go from walk/run to a constant run big PR's should happen.  Now beating my own best goal of 2:30 with a 2:27:52 is great. My last mile being my fastest mile is fantastic. The last 6.5 miles faster & stronger than the first 6.5 miles is priceless.

   I can build on this.  I have something to work with. I have a new goal to work towards with this data.  I want a sub 2:15 half.  I am sure I will want a better marathon time than what I finish with in two weeks.

     So I will savor my success for a few days and then get back to work and try to taper effectively and patiently.  I mean because really there is some work to do.  A man in my Run Club who is 58 years ran a sub 2 hour Half at Jenk's.  Well hell that pisses me off.  A 58 year old beat me by 30 minutes and of course I have to be nice since he is so encouraging. Damn it here we go!

Live Epic!
Michelle