This morning started at a little before 4 AM. Woke up, had a couple of cups of coffee and after a great shower got on the road to Mobile, Alabama to run in the First Light Half Marathon. Last year I ran the full marathon at First Light and I decided this year that I just wanted to run the half. So I made it to Mobile at around 6:20, got my packet and then went and got ready to race. At about 7:10 I went and did my traditional warm up mile before the race. Made it to the start about 60 seconds before the gun went off.
Mile 1 - (7:23 pace) I decided that I wanted to go out at a comfortable pace and just kind of see what the day was going to bring. I started out a bit fast and at the quarter mile mark I pulled the throttles back and just glided into a nice pace that ended up being 7:23 after the first mile. It was a bit chilly but we had the wind slightly at our backs and it was not raining. I love the starts of races because by nature I am a people watcher. Most people go out way to fast at the start and they end up feeling that towards the middle to ends of races. I have learned my lesson far too many times and now I am able to control my pace a little better.
Distance Run = 1 Mile
Overall Time = 7:23
Mile 2 - (7:21 pace) Still just feeling things out here. I remember thinking to myself that I feel a little sluggish, nothing too bad but my feet felt a bit slap happy. So I changed my foot strike a little bit and my stride and that seemed to help. Still had the wind at our backs and all in all was feeling pretty good.
Distance Run = 2 Miles
Overall Time = 14:44
Mile 3 - (7:18) Started to get a little more comfortable here. Legs were feeling loose again. I was happy I changed my stride a bit which was seeming to help out. Mile 3 had a few nice turns to it so it broke things up a bit. Came up to the first water stop and I passed it by. Wasn't thirsty and I wasn't sweating like I normally do so I didn't want to break stride for water. Fastest mile time yet and I was thinking this might be a pretty good day.
Distance Run = 3 Miles
Overall Time = 22:02
Mile 4 - (7:16) Starting to pick it up just a little bit, still holding back just a little bit but feeling pretty confident I had some faster times up ahead. The runners were starting to thin out by this point and all those "fast" runners at the start were all starting to regret their decision to start off so fast. You could see it in the faces and the forms as I was running past them. I did get a very small side stick right at the tail end of mile 4. Nothing dramatic but noticeable.
Distance Run = 4 Miles
Overall Time = 29:18
Mile 5 - (7:09) I knew when I completed this mile that I went just a little too fast a little too soon. Right at the end of mile 5 I started to get a little nagging pain in my right hip. Tolerable but I knew that I just pushed a bit too hard before my body was ready for more speed. In retrospect I should have run this mile at around 7:13 or 7:14 but I didn't. I thought I was ready for more speed but in the end I was wrong so I dealt with my little right hip pain for a few miles. It eventually worked itself out but not soon enough in my opinion. Dealt with a little hill during this mile. Gradual and not too long, kind of fun actually (yes I happen to like hills a little bit)
Distance Run = 5 Miles
Overall Time = 36:27
Mile 6 - (7:24) My worst mile time of the entire race! My hip was bothering me and I was beating myself up mentally for pushing too hard before I was ready. I worked itself out by the end of the mile and I actually was actually on pace for a 7:28 but I made up 4 seconds in the last quarter mile so I was happy. Hip pain went away, I passed by another water stop (I don't really recommend this as hydration is very important, however I know my body and I wasn't sweating a whole lot so I knew I was still good).
Distance Run = 6 Miles
Overall Time = 43:51
Mile 7 - (7:11) This mile was a straight away with the wind at my back the entire way. Completely flat which is exactly what I needed right then and there. I had a GU with me in my shorts pocket but for some reason I decided against downing it. I have no real good explanation for not taking it, I just didn't. I guess I was still feeling quite strong and didn't feel I needed any extra "boost".
Distance Run = 7 Miles
Overall Time = 51:02
Mile 8 - (7:01) At this point in the race I am past the half way point and I felt really strong and pretty good. I figured it was make or break time and I needed to make up a bit of time. For the first half of this mile I was heading into a crosswind and then a headwind for the last half mile or so. The road was bit cracked up. I finally felt I was into my stride and was at a good comfortable pace. I also knew at this point in time that I had almost no chance of setting a PR ( I needed to make up well over a minute and I just didn't think I had that in me, which in the end I didn't)
Distance Run = 8 Miles
Overall Time = 58:03
Mile 9 - (6:59) Mile's 9, 10 and 11 were all back into the wind so I was really not looking forward to this part of the race. That said, I also knew that this had to be the strongest part of my race if I had any hope of making up some time. A little late in the race to finally start running 6's but sometimes you just have to run based on how your body feels. I knew I didn't have any 6's in my any earlier than this. Wind was blowing pretty good and I was pretty much by myself. I saw a couple of runners about a half a mile ahead of me and I was slowly gaining on them and there was one guy behind me by about a quarter of a mile. At this point I started thinking that I was probably in the top 50 or so.
Distance Run = 9 Miles
Overall Time = 1:05:02
Mile 10 - (6:55) Still on the long straightaway back into the city. Passed another water stop and I again politely declined. I was thinking at this point that I hadn't drank anything yet (which normally I would be concerned with but I really wasn't feeling like I needed too) and I hadn't taken any GU. I could feel my lips started to dry out pretty good with the wind straight at me. There were lots of intersections on this stretch of road and I am thankful to the Mobile Police who did a great job of traffic control even though one nice officer wouldn't let me borrow his car for the last 2 miles. I even told him I would return it. No luck :(
Distance Run = 10 Miles
Overall Time = 1:11:57
Mile 11 - (7:11) Turns and hills. By themselves not too bad, however when used in combination like this mile it tends to be a real pain in the &^%! I was slowing down a bit and I was ok with that since I knew I wasn't going to be able to PR. I figured I would go in on a nice pace and not kill myself in the process. Started to get a little fan support towards the tail end of mile 11.
Distance Run = 11 Miles
Overall Time = 1:19:08
Mile 12 - (7:12) Felt good, finally almost back into the city. Winds were being blocked a bit by the buildings so that was nice. Great support at the water stop here. Even though I didn't get any water, all the volunteers were super nice and supportive.
Distance Run = 12 Miles
Overall Time = 1:26:20
Mile 13 - (7:03) Mile 13 ended up being not a great mile. I knew the race was nearing its end however I also knew that if I could run a sub 7 mile, maybe around 6:50 I might have an outside chance of breaking my PR. That was not to be. I could not for the life of me get my pace any faster. The legs just didn't want to play along with me. Lots of people starting to cheer me and all the other runners in front and behind me on. I could see the finish line :)
Distance Run = 13 Miles
Overall Time = 1:33:03
Mile 13.11 - (7:08) As I remembered last year, the race director was out there with his microphone screaming and motivating the runners as we approached the finishers chute. They were calling out names and times. Felt great to finish.
Distance Run = 13.11 Miles
Overall Time = 1:34:14
All in all I was pretty happy with my race today. Even though I have run faster in other races I know I raced within the limits my body placed on me today. Always listen to your body. It will tell you everything you need to know.
Happy Running!
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