Notes
This was my first half marathon and definitely NOT my last!
I woke up at 5am. Got dressed in record time, gathered my stuff and pulled my half sleeping husband out the door by 5:45. I had everything imaginable laid out the night before. Extra clothes, a towel, the list goes on. I had heard that there was an expected 6000 runners and 20 to 30,000 spectators in Hartford. So having no idea what a marathon was like, I did not want to be there late. We started to drive to Hartford ( a 45 minute drive) and about 15 minutes in I realized I had forgotten 2 very important things! My bib number and my chip. So my husband flew home so that I could grab it, and we started the trip again. Now closer to 6:30 I was getting very nervous that we would hit traffic and be really late. The normally 45 minute trip took a half hour, we got there an hour early which was plenty of time to take in the scene, stretch, and warm up.
I kept all of the advice that I learned from this website to heart. Especially JakeKnights list of things to remember. Thank you JakeKnight! As funny as it was.. it was so true.
The race began at 8am. The weather was sunny and 43 degrees. At the start there were over 4000 runners. 2400 of them were for the half Marathon. The rest for the marathon. I got into the start area a bit later than most so I wound up in the very back of the pack. After the gun went off there was lots of cheering and waving which was an amazing feeling. It took 3 minutes for me to get across the start line.. once we started moving I felt great. My nerves were gone, the cold air was gone, and all of the phantom aches and pains were gone.
The first couple of miles flew by. I kept on pace, remembering the many times I read "do not start too fast!" I listened to the runners around me talking and listened to the bands and the crowds cheering. Around miles 3 or 3.5 the marathon and half marathon split. So it got quieter and I turned on my headphones. A lot of people around me stopped to use the port-a-lets, stretch, drink water, etc. I kept going. I felt great. My pace was actually faster than my normal runs and even though I knew I should slow down, I didn't. I found that on hills I would pass a lot of people.. I have nice hills in my neighborhood so I was prepared for those. I carried a small camelbak on my waist so I skipped the water stations and continued on my way.
I was feeling a little discouraged after mile 4 or so because the miles seemed to go by slower and slower. Finally, I saw a sign that said mile 11. Something clicked inside me and I knew only 2.1 to go! So I sped up my pace and got really excited. Prior to this race, my longest run to date was 10.1 miles. The fact that I surpassed that in itself made me a bit teary eyed. Tongue At this point I was hauling, for me anyways. I was passing runner after runner.. many who were now walking or jogging slow. I still felt strong. Turn after turn I was waiting to see the finish line. There were no more crowds of people and it got rather quiet. One lady said only a 1/2 mile to go. That was the LONGEST 1/2 a mile in the race. The finish line never seemed to come into site, until finally I came around a bend and there it was! There was people clapping and yelling and so I began to sprint. I sprinted down the last .2 miles or so, attempting to smile for all of the cameras. Saw my husband jumping up and down at the finish line (which made me speed up more, and I didn't think I could run any faster) and I crossed it.
It was an amazing feeling. I had tears well up because I have never finished something that I started like that. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be able to run those distances. Now my legs are extremely sore, my knees hurt, but I feel like a million bucks!
My official time came in at 2:23:48. 1977 out of 2471. Lots of room to improve!
It was really a great race and a great day. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. I found this on the Hartford marathon website this morning...
The 14th annual United Technologies Greater Hartford Marathon in one word:
M arvelous weather
A mazing runners
R emarkable stories
A wesome food
T humping music
H appy volunteers
O utstanding community support
N ew & inspiring courses
A few things that I learned from it all..
1. Listen to the people on RA
2. Starting at the back of the race isn't all that bad because rather than having lots of people pass you, you get to pass lots of people!
3. Chocolate Gu tastes really good mid race
4. for women: Goody stay put hair elastics are the best
5. I now want to do a marathon ( I never had the desire to before)