After a stressful drive and getting to the hotel, I was hoping and praying for a great race. We are on a floor with a bunch of youth group kids, no sleep at all as they ran up and down the hallways from midnight to 4 or 5 in the morning, and Dorian waking up as neither of us are used to no fan in our room and the pillows suck. But, strangely enough I felt awake when my alarm went off and I took a shower just because and it helped me get my hair up. I tried to eat a cliff bar, but I couldn't scarf it down and I probably drank too much water before the start (big mistake). At 7:30 we headed down to the start, I was nervous but hopeful an ready. Temperature was 43 degrees with a feels like 39 degrees, 6 mph W winds and humidity of 87%. I was starving.

   I had no idea what corral to go into, they only had pacers for the full marathon so I just guessed and went in with the 3:30 pacer, figuring I was not going to get stuck behind slower people. I had already decided I was going to go out a lot faster than usual, afraid I'd probably have to stop somewhere around mile 11 to use the bathroom or have my knees and hips act up so I was going to make up for it now and suffer later.

   We were off, and I had to pee..... really bad..... I hated the fact that I had kept drinking until 7:30 and I had to stop just after mile 1, probably peed half a gallon of water. Along with the assumption I would be stopping again for the bathroom, I already figured I wasn't going to get a sub 2 hour, but somehow I couldn't slow down. I was being passed by quite a few people, a lot were passing me and most were the marathoners. I just tried to steady my pace.

    I kept my eyes off my garmin except when it would signal a new mile, then I would glance at it. It was .1 off from the race course, as usual, and I was under a 9 min/mile pace..... I was going to pay for this. After mile 3 I was still going, just chugging along. 

Mile 1 - 8:32

Mile 2 - 9:06

Mile 3 - 8:42

    I took a sip of gatorade around mile 5, surprisingly didn't choke on it (I am getting better). I was still pushing along, still feeling good at the pace I was going with no plan of slowing down as long as I could. My legs were feeling good, there were spectators EVERYWHERE, I don't think St. Louis even had this many out along the course.

Mile 4 - 8:54

Mile 5 - 8:38

Mile 6 - 8:40

     My 10k time was 55:49 so I was feeling pretty good, I was staying pretty close on target time though I was really hoping I had been doing a lot better in case I had to slow down at some point. I think just before mile 7 was the split from the marathoners, I was pretty much half way done and still going strong. I was surprised that my pace was still under a 9 min/mile pace, and still figuring that I would pay for it sooner or later. I think I had a gu thingy and some gatorade around mile 8 or 9, I wanted water to chase down the stuff but I had already passed it so oh well.

Mile 7 - 8:40

Mile 8 - 8:47

Mile 9 - 8:59

Mile 10 - 8:43

    Amazingly, I was still going..... no pain or any issues and I didn't have to stop at a port-a-potty. We saw the monument thing and I felt hope that I would finish good, didn't care if I only had a few second under 2 hours only as long as I got under 2 hours. I think at this point the marathoners met back up with us, but I can't really remember. I passed some pancake house and thought "hey, after the race we can go there and eat". Strangely I was under a 9 min/mile pace, which was amazing to me.

   I told myself I could hold this just a little longer, I told myself only half an hour more (or less) and I would be done. Around mile 12, I thought I'd have to hit a port-a-potty....... none were on the course anymore but luckily it was a false alarm. Just after mile 12, my right knee started hurting, I had to shorten my stride just a bit but this was a good thing.... normally it has been both knees and around mile 10 an then my hips would start to hurt. So things are improving, but I didn't speed up, I had about a half mile left but wasn't sure where the finish was...... I was looking for the giant blown up thing we ran through at the start, no wonder I couldn't see the finish. I was begging my body to give me just a little more, for my birthday (tomorrow)

Mile 11 - 8:44

Mile 12 - 8:44

Mile 13 - 8:55

.1 -      - 7:43

    When I saw the finish line, I felt a new surge of energy, not much but it was something and I took advantage of it. I've always wondered why so many throw their hands up at the finish, I guess part of me still figured it was an elite thing... until this time. I felt I deserved it and I finally understood why runners and walkers finishing so much slower than the elite throw their arms up at the finish. I didn't care what my garmin or the clock said, I knew I had finished under 2 hours, I stopped my garmin and wanted to puke. I wanted to fall over and die, but I kept moving along and hoping I don't die. I got the medal, and I truly felt I had given it my all and all I could give..... I had earned that medal, I actually stopped and let them take a picture of me and my medal.

  My sane and "not wanting any disappointments" goal was 2:05:00, my "insane, against most odds" goal was 1:58:59.

My garmin had said: 1:55:57

Chip time: 1:56:38 

Average pace: 8:55 min/mile

Overall: 1758

Division: 131/632

Gender: 614/3,575

  I had kicked ass, and the race had kicked my ass in return. I can proudly say I am a sub 2 hour half marathoner now, I surpassed my goal and can happily look forward to new goals next year. I shall have photos once they are up

Under 2 hours with a bathroom stop!   You rocked it out there today, congrats!

That is some fine work!  Nice pacing, too.  Congrats on beating your goal and expectations!

Great job! Congrats on running a strong race and surpassing all your goals! Thanks for sharing the RR.

YOU ROCKED IT!!!

We were off, and I had to pee..... really bad..... I hated the fact that I had kept drinking until 7:30 and I had to stop just after mile 1, probably peed half a gallon of water.

No, you peed a half gallon of pee. 

There is a sub-1:50 in your future, stay steady.

Really nice splits, pretty consistent which reflects your better training.

Next time get a better hotel.

It's always nice breaking those round numbers.  Congrats.  And nice splits.