Before I post: Just Celebrated my One year Anniversary running on September 7th 2008. Well Everyone, I ain't DEAD! Davidson Run for the Green Half Marathon, Davidson, NC. Day started with a wake up at 5:00am and Two waffles, and half a sports drink. Totally had to calm Hub's nerves, he was so geared up, second guessing everything to his training to his choice in footwear.. Arrived at the race at 7:15 or so, to lots of folks, and PERFECT WEATHER for the race. about 55 degrees at the gun. My plan all along was to do the Galloway interval program to get through this with my calf injury. My plan worked. I chose to do 2:1 intervals which proved especially helpful as the steep terrain came along at around mile 6 of the course. Started out with my friend Angie, who has a knee injury, so her plan was to have me be her pace buddy. ( really sad because she is a 1:39:00 HM'er. ) Most of you know that this course is really tough. I have mentioned it before, but it was not as bad as the last time I ran on it, mainly because there was NO humidity in the air to speak of. Good Energy, Good Crowd, lots and lots of support the whole way. At the 10K part, things began to hurt a little in the way of hills. This was the critical point of the race where the walk breaks were essential for my calf to make it through, but having said that, my walk pace was the same as the pace I did most of my long runs at! Brisk walking them with arms in running form is the key to not let the legs go into recovery mode. My Zensah Calf Support sleeves arrived yesterday just in time for the race, ( Picture will follow, as soon as they have it posted) and they were bright pink, so I matched with a pink t-shirt and pink hat. I gave many folks a good chuckle with my fashion statement! They really helped, my calves were well supported, and toasty warm so when I had to run, my paces were awesome. In some of my run intervals I was pulling a 8:40 pace, which is unheard of for me, but it felt relaxed and " right". My walk intervals were anywhere from high 11''s to mid 12's especially on the really steep terrain. That course is a bitch. I pushed when I needed to, took lots of walk breaks, and saved the last little bit of gas in the tank to pull a strider into the finish line! HOLY CRAP I DID IT! Injured! but not shaken! Garmin time: 2:22:57 Chip Time: 2:24:05 FWIW: I finished this about 12 minutes faster than I predicted. Thank you Jeff Galloway! And the Best Part: I want to run again already! Bring on the next one! Woot! Time for Pizza! MTA: OMG! CheffysHUB: 1:57:53 GO HUB GO! He achieved his goal, his First HM and Under 2:00

wooooooohooooooooo!!! WAY TO GO CHEFFY AND MRCHEFFY!!!! you ran a smart and AWESOME race!! congratulations and i hope you bask in the glory for days!!

Congratulations, Cheffy and Hub. It's clear you had a good plan, followed it, and enjoyed yourself. Now on to the next one. TomS

HOORAY, CHEFFY!!!! Oh, my gosh, I think you're a ringer - how did you go that fast?? There's no way I will do that tomorrow. You should post that elevation chart on here like I saw your DH post on the other board! Congratulations on a great race!

First of all, Congrats on your 1 year Runniversary! I read your profile and enjoyed your "re-born" comment. Sounds like you were very smart with your plan, and ran a stellar time with the walk breaks! Congrats for the hubby too! Just think of all the cool races you can do once the calf heals up. Love your enthusiasm!

Thanks Everyone! I am feeling the burn now so to speak.... My hip flexor is bitchy from all the fast walking.... It'll be fine though. Teresa: I don't know how I managed to run intervals like that, but man, when it was time to run, something in me just let loose and I was cruising. I WALKED ALOT. But I ran fast enough when I could run to make up for the difference. And I think that is the beauty of the Galloway plan, you are rested from the walk breaks and you have the energy to push when you need to. There were plenty of people I was playing cat and mouse with, because they were plodding along, and I would blow by them in the run intervals, and when I was walking during recovery, they would barely catch me before I was off and running again. Pretty Cool indeed. I think your magic will be to not get caught up in the toughness of the course. Just enjoy the day, the crowd, and if you run with your running partner, just make conversation. It helps. I am sure you will do GREAT. This has been such an emotional day for me. I cannot believe how far I have come in a year. Seems like it was this very weekend last year, I was online over at CoolRunning and sitting here literally crying from shin splints. I thought " Maybe I am just not meant to run" and Look at me today. I can't wait till they post the pictures. I was happy and arms in the air across the finish line. Never let anyone tell you that it's not possible. I am thrilled beyond words. It was worth every shitty humid morning, every ache, and every pain. Running is not a pain free sport, but it is indeed a truly gratifying one! MTA: on the Half Marathon Trainers Board, my Hub posted the Course elevation Map from his Garmin as a testament as to how crappy difficult this course is for a newbie runner like us!

Marvelous Cheffy, just marvelous and high fives to HUB as well! I can't wait to hear about your next races. Karin/CNyrunner

Congratulations RCR! It's good to see another local here on RA. You had a fantastic day in Davidson today. Are you running in Charlotte in December / Thunder Road ?

That's my plan..... How crappy is the course?