A little background before giving you the full breakdown of the race.

I needed a HM around this weekend to tie in with my marathon training plan. At the time I was searching for a race one of the local race organizers was offering a "four seasons challenge" - Four HMs for $45 each - one of them was this weekend, so I glanced at the list and signed up.

I live on the north side of the DFW metroplex. There's a city to the East called Terrel that's just over an hour away. I thought this was Tyler (because I am a fool!). Tyler is another 60 miles down I20, about 2 hours 20 mins from home. Today was always going to be a long day!

That said, it was not a goal race, so I did not find myself too nervous or stressed - I just had to get there, and run it.

4am.... Alarm goes off. This is way too early!!! I had prepared all my kit the night before so it was just a case of put clothes on, use the bathroom and bleary eyed, hit the road by 4:15am. It's raining windy and about 65F... but that may not be the case 131 miles away so I just turn the radio up and the miles click. I do notice that my journey breaks up into 3 segments 50miles + 50 miles + 50km (how'd ya like that one Andy?) and that's probably the most interesting thing to say about it. Usual breakfast of a banana, granola bar & Gatorade on the ride over and with about 50 miles to go I stop for a pit stop and grab a bag of skittles as I'm getting hungry. I arrive in Tyler at 6:45, pick up my packet and find out that it's only the Marathon that starts at 7:30, HM starts at 8:00. The next 45 mins is the usual cycle of drinking some water and bathroom breaks. I did run a 0.5 mile warm up to stretch out and was lined up at the start line with 10 mins to go.

This was the smallest HM I think I have ever run, about a 1000 people. I line up between the 1:50 and 2:00 pace groups, they are about 5 yards apart. "That Guy" is at the start; loudly proclaiming the demonic hilliness of the course. He goes to specific lengths to highlight how much people from the DFW area come out poorly trained for the hills. It's 70F and about 75% humidity and before long we are off.

First Five - The original plan was to stick with the 1:50 pace group but I abandoned that in favor of PR pace. So 8:30 was the pace de-jour. As ever the first 5 were uneventful. We start off down hill then up then down again. From the race website: "The courses are best described as difficult but beautiful." This is a really good description. I am from DFW. I know flat and flat this ain't! We are running through wooded neighborhoods and streets, very shaded but rolling hills - nothing flat. Still as I clock through mile 5 my Garmin tells me I am 16 seconds up on where I should be.

Second Five - For me, this is where the race is won or lost. On reflection, this is where it was lost today. I hate the fact that "That guy" at the start was right but I had not done enough training for these hills. Steep downhill before the 6 mile marker, then a slow climb up to about 7.5 miles, down to mile 9. OK to this point. I knew from plotting the course that the last big hill was a 120ft climb from Mile 9 to Mile 10.25. My legs just did not want to do it. I pushed through to the end of mile 10 without stopping but the time I had built up in the first 5 was all gone and I was about one and a half mins behind PR pace.

Final 5k - Mental weakness at this point. I stopped and walked the quarter mile to the top of the hill. I felt the PR was gone and my legs hurt. Pulled myself together at the top and pushed on home. The hills kept rolling but I didn't walk again. The race finishes up hill and I keep on pushing. and end up with with an unofficial 1:53:39.

Negatives for the day:

• Tyler is 130 miles from home
• No PR - missed by 80 seconds.
• Stopped to walk

Positives for the day:

• Despite no PR; it was hotter, more humid, windier and much hillier. I chose to believe that I am as fit now as I was when I ran my PR back in March.
• Fueling strategy before (pasta) and during race (bloks & Gatorade)  worked well
• It was a good run - I had fun

No official results yet. Actually I am missing from the unofficial list. Hopefully that is rectified tomorrow.

Thanks for the race report...sounds like you are in pretty good shape heading towards your marathon.

I almost entered the Tyler race, but it was a bit too close to my goal race in a few weeks.  By the sounds of it, I would have paid dearly with the hills and the humidity.  Maybe next year...

Hey, you got out there and competed. You may have walked, but you snapped out of it and pushed to the end, and still only 6 secs / mile slower than PR. Best of all, you live to run another race with some good experience.

 what he said

Matt, it sounds like  you had a lot of unexpected factors that affected your racing and it was a learning experience. You gave it your all and I think you did great - would love to come in under 2 hours. Very good result!

Thanks everyone. It was a good race... even if my race report comes across a little negative!

They found my results and I ended up 20th in my AG (of 70) - which I am actaully pretty pleased with.

Now on to the Marathon!!!

Photos:

Still managing a smile, at about mile 11.5

Being beaten out to the line by the 30th pace female.