Last Saturday was the Salt Lake City Half Marathon. I'm starting to lose track of how many I've done now that I've been at this 'running' (Still not really fast enough to feel comfortable calling what I do running.) thing a while. I think this one was #8. Or around there somewheres.
Friday I has taken the night off of work to go pick up my packet and make sure I got to bed at a reasonable time. That, and I just wanted a day off. And it was niiiiiice! Wish I could afford to take 3 day weekends more often.
I wasn't too nervous about the actual race, but I was nervous about getting to the starting line on time. Usually I have other people with me who I let do the worrying and I just sleepily follow along. But this time it was just me all by my loners, so I had to be the responsible one.
My alarm beeped me into consciousness at 3:30 in the morning, which is when I'm usually getting ready for bed on a weekend night/early morning. Made myself some oatmeal, grabbed all my things I had gotten ready the night before, and made my way to the Gateway. It's pretty impressive how much faster I can get there when it's too early for anyone else to be on the road!
On the way it had started to rain, and by the time I got there it was falling pretty steady. The weather reports said any rain would be light and brief, so I wasn't too worried. I parked behind the Gateway so I could escape easier after the race. This is totally off subject, but holy craaaap, I saw the BIGGEST RAT! At first I thought it was a cat, but then I noticed it was not cat shaped, although it was cat-sized. Rats don't bother me much, but I was so surprised I just stood there and stared at it crossing the street until it disappeared behind a car. I didn't know we got them that big around here.
Anyways, Trax was going early to get all us nervous runners to the starting line. The train was very crowded, and more people would try to push on at every stop. The doors won't close if people are standing in the stairwell, so at almost every stop we had to wait . . and wait . . . and wait through repeated announcements before whoever was there would get the hint and either get back off or squeeze in a little further. Once the driver had to come down and tell people to move. We finally got up there at about 6:30, so only had 30 minutes to stand in line for the potties and eat my Clif Bar.
The starting line was under the Legacy Bridge up on the U campus. We wound through neighborhoods, and went around (but not into) Sugarhouse park. We even ran part of the route I use for my longer trainging runs! I was starting to lose steam a little about Liberty park. Should have brought an extra energy gel. No matter what I do I always get hungry about 90 minutes in. It was around this time that I totally got passed by a race-walker. I had to check my Garmin to make sure I wasn't going slower than I thought I was, but I was cruising along about 6 miles an hour at the time. Oh well, more power to her. There was one last push up a hill on State Street downtown that just about did me in, but once I got up that it was literally all downhill. I sped up as much as my legs would let me and finished at 2:15:45. Still not very fast, but faster than my previous time by about 4 minutes 15 seconds. ( Yay progress!) Met up afterwards with my good-lookin' boyfriend, who spent the rest of the day making sure I ate enough, and even massaged my tight calves for me.
I used to not care what my times where for my half-marathons, I was happy just to survive. Lately, though, I find myself caring. And wanting to do better. Might have something to do with getting totally schooled by that dang race walker. So I've set a goal for myself: run a half marathon in 2 hours or less by the end of the year. Sounds kinda intimidating, but my times seem to improve by 3-5 minutes each race I do. I've got 4 more half marathons planned, ending with the Rock 'N' Roll one in Las Vegas December 4th. Should be totally do-able by then if I put just a bit more effort into training and stay healthy. Right?
Wish me luck!
