Mistletoe Run Half Marathon Winston-Salem, NC Short version: Slower than 2007 and slower than 2006 but not by much (1:40:04 (2006), 1:39:38 (2007)) 1:40:12 7:39 pace 126/768 OA (top 16%) 12/81 M55-59 (top 15%) Age Graded Ranking 69.8% (2006 WAVA) at least that's a PR for the distance Novel: This is my favorite race. The distance, the course, the location, the organization, the mile markers… etc.. The Twin City Track Club along with The YMCA hold this race along with a 5K. It starts and finishes at the Y so you can stay warm until start and take a shower (free for runners) right after the race! The course started with a downhill then a rolling up hill before a steady climb for a couple miles. Then it is rolling going through neighborhoods, then Wake Forest Campus followed by a park with some steep hills, another neighborhood, more WF and back through the park and out to neighborhoods and down to the Y. The rolling terrain makes for a very nice run. The excuses (right up front ): Soleus injuy Aug-Oct prevented any speedwork. Ran hilly martahon Nov 2nd, ran 8K race Nov 26th (and PR'd).. this was the only speed work. After a couple mile warm-up, I stripped to a long sleve tee, shorts and hat in the balmy 30F. Got to the start 5 minutes before take-off. There were nearly 700 runners this year. A really pretty woman sang a really pretty anthem and the gun sounded and off we went. I had some goals for this one: 1. PR (beat 1:39:38) maintain 7:30 pace 2. Sub 1:40:00 3. Get a good workout I ran this race by feel. I turned the HR display off on the Garmin so I could record but not see it. Last year there was a Spareribs looking guy who siad it took a long time to catch up to me (and he ended way fater than me last year). This year I saw the same guy and trailed him by 10 seconds ... through mile 6 Splits: Mile 1 - 7:31 [AHR 169] (first part downhill and then a good climb) Mile 2 – 7:47 [170] (lots of climbing but some good rollers in second half)—much slower than last year..good! Mile 3 – 7:30 [170] (rolling)—hit the pace Mile 4 - 7:34 [167] (more downhills .. bit too slow) Mile 5 - 7:40 [166] (first half uphill second half downhill... can really feel the hills this run..meh) Mile 6 - 7:24 [165] (mostly a nice downhill winding through the woods in a park ) (7:34 pace average at mile 6... so far so good.. that Ribs guy is still 10 secs ahead) Mile 7 - 8:02 [165] (slowed to a crawl on a long uphill through a neighborhood- tiring.. the Ribs guy is spreading the distance.. arrg) Mile 8 - 7:42 [164](some down then up and up to Wake Forest University at the top of the hill.. tiring left in the dust by the Ribs guy) Mile 9 - 7:33 [162] (down into the park again) Mile 10 – 8:09 [164] (up out of the park and slowed to a crawl on a really steep hill... almost walked but didn't) Mile 11 - 7:51 [164] (last major hill--- I really wanted to pull over to the side and go to sleep!- this HURTS!) Mile 12 - 7:25 [164] (down hill finally!) Mile 13 – 7:20 [166] (giving it all she's got Scotty..) Mile 13.1 - 6:40 pace [166] Still not enough, saw 1:40:08 as I crossed... official was 1:40:12 Just wasn't my day but I got in a really good tempo run Thanks for reading! Steve FR: White Boston long sleeve techical tee, black race shorts, white gloves, blue hat, blue/silver and white Asics 2130, Garmin 305.

Perch that is a very very good race Color coordinated too Speed work? I'm not familiar with the term

You kept a pretty even pace despite all the hills. Well done! And it's too bad that you missed a PR, but you still turned in a fast time. I think 30 degrees is a bit on the cool side for shorts, though...

perch, it may not have been quite what you wanted but it was still a speedy half. Congratulations. TomS

Perch, A quality run by a great runner. Using this "almost PR" as a carrot for your next race will keep you hungry. Thanks for sharing Larry

Congratulations on a great race Perch! All things considered you really put a pretty good run together. I think we should check to see if Ribs has an alibi or not. I pretty much never look at my HR during a race and rarely even during training runs except maybe during some intervals or other speed type workouts, but I really like having the info so that I can make comparisons etc. So how do you like the Asics 2130's? I only have one more pair of 2110's left and I don't care for the 2120's so I am going to have to get some new ones this spring and was looking for feedback on the 2130's. Considering the fact that you said it was "not my day" I think you really had a great run. I'm sure when your 100 % those times will get better again, and besides 34 seconds off last year isn't so bad.

Perch... I don't care what you say, that was a terrific time on a tough course...I've run that half and I ain't even telling you my time. It was definately the distraction of the Ribs guy that cost you a few seconds...I think a large "congrats" are certainly in order. DickyG

Perch, the fact that you were so near to a PR despite your battles says a lot about your overall conditioning and suggests you'll be blowing away that PR the next time you run a fully healthy half. Nice job on what sounds like a challenging course. Also, it was good to hear Ribs is running so well these days; I had no idea. Oh...wait...never mind.