Hello, my name is Andrew and I have been a running for 2 years and 3 months. This is my race report for the Run for the Lakes Half Marathon on 4/27/13.

Short Version: I ran ok, had an 8 min 10 sec PR and went sub 2 hr for the first time. Missed my "A" goal by 5 minutes and came away with bittersweet feeling. Didn't really train for rolling hills, so it shouldn't surprise me that I didn't nail my goal. I should just suck it up, and get ready for the next race.

Long Version:
Background: I don't have the talent that some runners are born with. 2011 consisted of 5k, 8k and 10k training just to be able to run the distance. In January 2012 I started training for my first HM in May, 2012 with a goal of finishing. I did finish that race in 2:16, which isn't bad for a first timer. I ran two more HMs last year, the last of which setting my previous PR of 2:01:20. That was set on 10/20/12.

Since that race I've dropped 10 lbs and have took up a challenging HM training program. I set my goals for the year in January and by March I had already reached my 5k goal time. At that point I decided to push my goals a bit more for the rest of the year.

I planned my HM training around my goal race which is happening on 5/18/13. I started training the first week of Feburary with a 15 week plan. I did peak in miles the second week of April with 53.

About the race: Obviously last weekend wasn't 5/18. My wife wanted to go to her friend's place about 2.5 hours away for some crafting for her wedding, and DD and I were to go with. She tempted my by saying this HM was going on and she'd watch our DD in the morning and I could run the race and then I could watch her in the afternoon and she could do that crafting thing. Ok, twisted my arm.

The Run for the Lakes HM is set in Nisswa, MN and was labeled MN's most scenic course. There are lots of lakes and lots of trees, that's for sure. I should have learned from previous experience, but the course is "rolling hills" with a 523 ft gain and 519 ft descent. There wasn't big hills, just lots of small ones - it fit the term rolling hills to a "T".

Race Day: I didn't want to distrub my DW and DD too much so I got dressed in minimal light in our hotel room, grabbed my bag and got out of there. I did stop in the lobby for a couple slices of PB toast, sausage links and coffee. I drove the ~20 minutes to Nisswa and arrived an hour early. Ample parking was found at that time in the tourist town of a population of roughly 2000.

I took a few pictures, which I'll try and post later, but then put the camera back in the car so I could get ready. I used the john and went out for a little shake out. My recent (4/6/13) 10k of 48:19 suggested that I run about a 1:47 HM. CLIF was sponsoring the pacing team and they had a 3:35 FM pacer (2 actually). Since the FM course was just a double-loop of the HM, we could just use the same pacers. This pacer would/should result in a 1:47:30 (8:12/mile) - exactly what I was looking for.

Someone came up to our pacer and asked how he'd start out. He said "probably faster than the needed pace." I'm thinking to myself "Wow, geez. Let's see how this goes." After a 26 second moment of silence for the Boston Marathon tragedy we were ready to start. The local American Legion started the race by shooting rifles like they would during a salute. Pretty cool! The start of the race was nice at 50 degrees and cloudy. Actually the whole race would be right there in the 50s and mostly cloudy. It was very nice running weather.

Miles 1-4
We started off down hill, which explains why he wanted to go out a bit faster. Up the accompanying the hill and it leveled a bit. More ups and downs as we went rolling through the little hills. Things were going good, a bit faster than their said pace.

Mi 1: 8:04
Mi 2: 7:36
Mi 3: 8:05
Mi 4: 8:01

Miles 5-8
I was ahead of pace and I started to think maybe even a faster time than I originally planned for. Mile 6.25 and 8.5 would have the 2 stops that I planned to take for powerade, and I would take water as needed the rest of the course. At the halfway mark at 6.5 fading was already in my head. I had a tendency to fade at the 10 mile mark. I just kept it in my mind that I wanted to leave everything on the course.

Mi 5: 8:15
Mi 6: 8:21
Mi 7: 8:49
Mi 8: 8:36

Miles 9-13
Up to this point I had done pretty well. I was actually ahead of pace. I think my mind started getting the better of me at the point because I started to take water and walk through every aid station.

The course was nice - basically local roads that were heavily wooded. We circled a lake and passed a swampy area. The lake wasn't very pronounced though because there were cabins against it the whole time. I enjoyed the sights and smells, except for the horrid smell of skunk around mile 11. It kept on for a half mile, and hopefully no one got sprayed. I didn't hear anything about it.

We made our way in to town and hooked up with the Paul Bunyon Trail. The Paul Bunyoun Trail is 112 mile trail that stretchs from Bemidji to Brainerd in Minnesota. It's a paved trail that winds around lakes and through towns, generally running parallel to larger roads. At mile 12 I was just trying to keep 1 foot in front of the other. Around Mile 12.5 the 1:52:30 pacers caught up to me. I was deflated. I started walking with less than a half mile to go.

Fortunately I was reaching the town and all the people cheering. Did I want to be that guy who walks to the finish line with people cheering you on? Not really. I kept it easy and I got in to mile 13. I just gave it everything I had and crossed in 1:53:10.

Mi 9: 9:15
Mi 10: 8:17
Mi 11: 9:49
Mi 12: 9:36
Mi 13: 9:35
Last 0.1: 0:51

Closing Thoughts: With my "A" goal at 1:48, "B" at 1:53 and "C" at 1:59, I was ok with it. I'm still a bit miffed at my performance, specifically the walking. I look back at my training and I can only figure out that I need to work on stamina more - more long runs. I need those 11-13 milers on the weekends more. I did mention in the Short Version, but it is worth repeating here that I did go sub 2:00 for the first time in this race. That's the reason I wrote this report - to celebrate that milestone. It's a very bittersweet feeling - reaching one milestone while not reaching your goal. I definitely have my work cut out for me for my other races. The next one being in a little over 2 weeks.

Great job, considering the last minute HM decision and the hills.  I think you faded because you started out too fast rather than because you need more stamina.  I think you can finish at 1:47-1:50 if you pace well on your next, so long as a course is flatter than this one.  But overall, I think you did a great job and got a huge PR.  Congrats!

Are you still doing the 05/18 one?  If so, good luck!

Apparently, I read everything but the last sentence.  So, yes, GOOD LUCK on the one in two weeks!

Nothing to be disappointed about!  You hit your B goal and that's a huge PR!

Thanks for all of the kind words! I should note that I parted ways with the Pacer around Mile 6. It felt like they wanted to bank a bit of time because they were running the full.