The Pensacola Marathon was a chance for me to knock out my first half marathon. I had been training extensively for my February 2011 marathon in New Orleans and to be honest, training can get pretty boring from time to time! Therefore, one of the best ways to stay motivated is to schedule a race within your training plan—so that you have a short-term goal as well. The Pensacola Marathon (& half marathon) fell on one of my “long run” training days. It was the perfect opportunity to run this race and still knock out my training run all at once.
Race morning came and we couldn’t ask for better weather. I showed up to the race in a few layers, but knowing Florida’s weather I knew that it was about to warm up. I could hardly sleep the night before—as is the case before most races—I was anxious and ready to roll.
The longest run I had accomplished prior to the half marathon (13.1 miles) was a 10 mile run. Therefore, being a rookie, I didn’t know what to expect past that 10 mile mark. I began the race at a decent pace—doing my best not to pay attention to others around me. I came up on mile 3 and Jennifer and my father were there cheering me on. I eventually got into my rhythm and began to pick up a little speed. I later saw my dad and Jennifer around mile 8. I realized how encouraging it was to have people cheer you on during the race—whether complete strangers or family and friends. It was great hearing that positive feedback as we continued to grind through the miles.
I set a goal going into this race to finish under 1:50:00. As I later approached mile 10, I knew that I had it within my reach—as long as I continued to keep my tempo. I made the final turn and could see the finish line. I glanced at my watch and realized that I was going to shatter my goal! I crossed the line at 1:47:15—averaging an 8:11 minute mile.
It felt great to say that I completed my first half marathon—after the race, as I assessed my run, I determined that this was a great competitive distance. I really, really enjoyed the length of the half marathon.
After crossing the line I was immediately bombarded with a medal, 2 bottles of water, a Subway sandwich, some trail mix and a banana. I had no idea what to do with everything except thank the volunteers and find my ‘bride-to-be’ and father.
You gotta’ celebrate after a race with an ice cold Sweetwater 420!
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