Halloween Half Marathon

This was the most fun I have ever had on a race, besides Ragnar! It was a blast!! My good friend Clisty picked me up at 5:50 am and we drove down to Provo. We met up with Clisty's friend Tiffany and hurried over to the line for the bus ride to the start. We were in a fairly big line, but were on the bus a little after 7 am. The ride to the start felt like 30 miles and I started to get that old familiar feeling of, "What am I doing!?" We finally got to the start and headed straight for the bathrooms.

It was so cold. I had on a hoodie and mittens and I could not get warm. We headed over to the tent to meet up with more of Clisty and Tiffany's friends who were pacers (Jenny and James). It was so warm in the tent! A few minutes after getting in the tent, the costume contest started. It was great. There were so many really good costumes. It made me wish I had worn a costume. I most likely will next year.

After the contest, we ran to the bathrooms one more time before the race started. It was still really cold, so I kept my hoodie on. In fact, I was so cold, I had a hard time warming up even during the race. It took a few miles before I was able to get warm enough to ditch my hoodie on the side of the road.

When I crossed the start, I looked at my ipod and it said 9:15 am.

The first 5 or so miles were downhill. Like steep downhill. We were zooming. In fact we passed Jenny, who was the 2 hours 30 minutes pacer and she didn't pass us back up until we were at mile 7. We went so fast. The scenery was gorgeous, the company was great. I didn't even listen to my music. I used to think that I couldn't run without music, but this race prooved me wrong. We laughed and talked the whole way. It was awesome. We kept the same pace for the most part, although Clisty shot ahead at the very end and beat us by a minute or so. There were so many runners and everyone was just out for a good time. It felt like a party.

I started to feel tired around mile 10 or so, but not anything like my last half marathon. We took short, quick walking breaks a few times and I think that really helped. I am sore, but not terribly so. It was just a really comfortable race.

I looked at my ipod when I crossed the finish and it said 11:55 am. So by my ipod's calculations, I ran it in 2 hours and 40 minutes. The time clock at the finish said 2 hours 43 minutes, but I didn't cross the start until a couple minutes after the race started--we were toward the back of the pack. I'm just going to compromise and say I ran it in about 2 hours and 42 minutes. Which is my best time ever for a half marathon. My previous best time was 2 hours 49 minutes. So I am really proud of myself. No matter what, I shaved several minutes off of my time and I had a blast.

As for food. I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some gatorade on the bus ride up to the start. I had another peanut butter sandwich in my pocket for during the race. I never felt hungry. I also had 7 GU/Accel gel packets in my fuel belt and pocket (I wasn't messing around this time). I took one Accel gel at about mile 10. That was all I needed. I took water at all of the aid stations and had gatorade in my water bottles. I drank about 2.5 of them during the race (so about 25 ounces) and then finished off the rest (15 ounces), plus two water bottles (provided at the finish) with my peanut butter sandwich as soon as the race was over. I also had Hot Tamales candy in my pocket but only ate 5 of them after the race was over. I hardly used any fuel during the race and I felt fine. That sandwich and gatorade before the race was the key, I think. I also think it helped that it was cold for most of the race.

Anyhow, it was awesome. I loved this race and I am pleased with my performance. This was my last race for 2010, so I am thankful it ended on a terrific note.