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My First HM (Read 795 times)

    Yesterday I finished my first half-marathon. The race happened to fall less than a year after I started running. I feel great about my accomplishment! Not really knowing what to expect, my goal was to break 2hrs, which is right around 9/min pace. My finish time was 1:50:04, and yes thought about breaking 1:50:00 but my legs just said NO! at the end. Here's my mile splits & my notes on how i felt at each Mile - Split - Notes 1 - 7:44 - Feeling better than expected 2 - 8:04 - Still feeling good 3 - 7:56 - Wow, Can I really hold this pace? 4 - 8:05 - Hey, this isn't so bad 5 - 7:56 - Mmmm, cruisin' 6 - 7:39 - Picked it up a bit 7 - 8:18 - Uh oh, there must've been some hills on that last one 8 - 8:25 - My knee, foot and side hurt, I hope this is almost over 9 - 8:29 - Well, I will still beat 2hrs 10 - 8:50 - OK that headwind sucks...maybe i should take a little nap 11 - 9:18 - Woh, this could get ugly...I want to be done now 12 - 9:10 - Ok, I saw the finish line and they made me turn away from it, that's just mean 13 - 9:20 - Hey, I'm going to finish...it may not look pretty, but... 13.1- 0:45 - Wow, everything in my body hurts, I can't breathe, but i finished Post Race...Yes I'm glad I did it!...but man do I ever understand how hard this thing is...I must be crazy Post Race going up stairs...wow that hurts! Post Post Race...NAP TIME!!!
    jEfFgObLuE


    I've got a fever...

      Nice race! I especially enjoyed the blow-by-blow account of each mile split -- you summed up what we all go through in a race very well! Big grin

      On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

        Great race! Loved the mile by mile details. I can totally relate to the steps thing - after my first HM I viewed steps as being torture, simple torture.

        Michelle



          Congrats! Did you get any water or sports drinks along your run? I am looking at possibly doing my first HM in April at a 10-11 min/mile pace. Are you going to try for a marathon for your next long race?

          Vim

            Good question - I was wondering about what is served more often during longer races. I didn't get a drink at every water station (afterwards I realized I should have). The two times I did get a drink it was water. I could have used some gatorade. What did they give out at yours?

            Michelle




            You'll ruin your knees!

              Great job, Jeremy! Love the "splits" report format! You beat your goal and were staring at the sub 1:50...and you're right, that fly-by the finish line is just mean! Congrats on your first half! Lynn B

              ""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)

              zoom-zoom


              rectumdamnnearkilledem

                Good work! First HM in well under 2 hours is quite an accomplishment! I'm hoping I can just squeak under 2 when I do my second one. I have my work cut out for me! How are you feeling today? Smile k

                Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

                remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                     ~ Sarah Kay

                jEfFgObLuE


                I've got a fever...

                  BTW H.O.D., if you plan on taking a day off to recover, I'd recommend it be tomorrow rather than today. After a long, hard effort like yesterday, a few really easy miles today will loosen the legs up, flush 'em out, and ease the soreness. Then take tomorrow off, and you'll feel more refreshed Wednesday. Cheers, Jeff

                  On your deathbed, you won't wish that you'd spent more time at the office.  But you will wish that you'd spent more time running.  Because if you had, you wouldn't be on your deathbed.

                    Great job, congrats! You think upstairs is hard, try going donw stairs fast right now!

                    Runners run

                      mikeymike - such an evil suggestion! The thought of going down steps really fast the day after my first HM would have ended with a lot of crying (and me in a heap at the bottom of the steps)! Tongue One of the things that scared me was taking those first few steps of a light run the day after...I dreaded it but then once I got going it wasn't so bad, and afterwards I felt a little better. A massage would have been awesome - a little painful but well worth it. A friend of mine gets treated by her husband to a gift certificate to get a sports massage after every HM!

                      Michelle



                        Thanks everybody for the encouragment! I did end up taking monday off (from running)...I was sore but my wife and i are also training for triathlons (yes i am nuts) and so we swam yesterday evening, which is a good workout to stretch out the muscles. A little more background on the day of the race...My wife, myself and our friend who also ran went to church before the race. The sermon, ironically, centered around C.S. Lewis (of The lion, the witch and the wardrobe) book "The problem of pain". It was mentioned that pain is God's megaphone to us. Without getting too religious or deeply theological, i'll just say that I totally understand that now, and that turned out to be one large megaphone...
                          Oh yeah, to answer modal's question from earlier...they had 4(i think) water stops and they also had gatorade at those stops. Post race they had the usual...bananas, oranges, cookies, etc...
                            That's an awesome time ... first HM or not!
                            2009: BQ?
                            bas


                              Congrats! The report was fun to read, and oh so recognizable... And the finish time makes me jealous! bas

                              52° 21' North, 4° 52' East