2011 Whistlestop Half-Marathon

Saturday, 10/15/11
2011 Ashland, WI Whistlestop Half-Marathon

I didn't have my photographer (aka: my sister, Jen) with me this year, so I don't have any pictures from Saturday. The shot to the left is from 2008 when I ran my last full marathon (black leggings/baby-blue top is me); and the trees were in FULL bloom with 100% coloring.

NOT SO this year. All day Friday and throughout the entire race on Saturday, the wind was blowing 15-30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, so all the leaves were GONE. Thankfully, the race director spoke with Mother-Nature though; the wind was a tail-wind for most of the race. Whew!

The first three miles were over in a blur! My sister-in-law, BethAnn, was also running the half, so she and I paced together, holding between 10:00-10:20/miles. However, I took a pitstop at mile 3, sending her off with a big GOODLUCK wish! She was hoping to improve her current PR of 2:20. {{Which she DID!!!!! Her chip-time was 2:13, so she took 30 seconds off her mile average. Wooohoooo!}}

I, on the other hand, knew all I could hope for was to just finish. Not going to make any excuses, but it is what it is. Two years off in 2009/2010, and mediocre (at best) training for the past 2 months...... I kept my goals realistic :0)

the next few miles also were gone in a blur. There were enough runners to keep your mind busy; watching others' form, listening to the relaxed conversations of those of us in the back-of-the-pack; I really can't remember all that went through my mind. At one point, I remember thinking about what I needed to do for the upcoming weeks in my Junior High math classes with the Wisconsin State tests looming at the end of the month. Funny, huh?

Once I crossed the 8-mile marker, I recall thinking..."What!? 8 miles already?!? This race is going fast!"

I mean....really....the whole thing was just a blur. It CERTAINLY didn't feel like 2 and a half hours of running!!!! I didn't really watch my time/pace too closely -- in the back of my mind, I was hoping to keep my race under a 2:30 Half-marathon, and I was definitely pacing better than what I did on the Paavo course. But as I came into mile 10 at a time of 1:57, with some quick mental calculation, I knew it would be a challenge without my legs having had the endurance training of years past. 11:00/miles for the last 3 miles???? Could it be done?????

Well, take a look at all those low-bumps in my speed graph :/ I was taking my walk breaks and kept staying as strong as I could during my jogging spurts to bring me to the finish.

2:34:55 is my official chip time; so if you take off 1:00-1:30 for my mile-3 pitstop, I'm satisfied with my day.

After catching up with BethAnn and giving her high-5's and hugs for her amazing finish, I shared that I wasn't completely giving up on these longer distances, but my training has to improve. :0)

So, now to update my Running Page:
To date, I've completed three marathons, ELEVEN half-marathons, and too many 5K's and 10K's to count :0)

Happy Sunday Everyone!