Oh my gosh! Where to start? This past weekend Dustin and I went to Austin for the 3M Half Marathon. We stayed overnight so we could wake up and be right around the corner from the start line. My parents watched the kids and we got up to Austin around 4 pm. We went to a great sushi dinner and then, feeling as though it was too early to turn in, we went to a bar around the corner from our hotel. I normally have no problem running after a glass or two of wine, and usually do have a glass the night before a race. But Saturday night, we had more than a few! Funny thing is, I wouldn't change a thing about it! It was so much fun to be out with Dustin alone in a different city. It was such a fun night!
(around 10 pm Saturday night at The Park at the Domain)
5:30 am came very fast the next morning and though a bit foggy, Dustin and I were on the shutle to the start line at 6:15. The race began at 6:45 am and we barely made it! Six thousand people were in the race and the start line wasn't even visible from where we started. It took nearly five minutes to pass it. The temperature was 38 degrees and we were freezing our butts off. Dustin said he was going to run with me but for the first 6 or so miles, I kept telling him to go ahead. I knew we started out fast, but that's my style. This was the first race I've run in 3 years without my Garmin watch and though it was hard not knowing our pace/distance, it was also nice to just do the best I could without regard to time. But the anxious part of me (which is most all of me) was missing it like crazy!
(before the race around 6:30 am on race day)
The race is sold as a downhill race, and while the overall elevation change is a decent of 400 feet, it is so gradual that the route actually seems flat with a few small uphills. Compared to the 3 other halfs I've run, this is by far the easiest course! Hence the PR. My time was 1:49:50 (8:33/mile avg) and Dustin's was 1:47:13 (8:06/mile avg).
(post race photo)
The course started at Stonelake Blvd/Braker Lane and went south on Burnet (adjacent to Mopac) through north central Austin, through UT's campus and finished at the Bob Bullock History Museum. It was so nice running through such familiar terrain and I had nostalgia at many points from my 5 years in Austin. Throughout the course, at each mile there were one man bands playing their guitars and singing into microphones. At mile 12, there were mariachi's playing and I remember rounding the bend to this site and getting a big smile on my face.
The crowd support was awesome! As good, if not better than the SA Rock N Roll Series. These were a few of my favorite sayings on the signs: "Worst Parade Ever!," "You trained longer than Kim Kardashian's marriage!," "Chafe now, brag later," and "No turning back, it's uphill!" Nothing like a good laugh on a long run!
Around mile 11, I could feel Dustin pulling away from me, so this time when I said go ahead, he really did. He bolted and finished almost 3 minutes ahead of me, which means his last two miles were in the high 5's, low 6 minute range. I definitely felt as though I held him back when I found that out! But it was so great running with him!!! Did I mention that he did not train at all for this race? Ugh.
(view coming down the stretch to the finish line).
Post race, I'm not as sore as I'd like to be. My quads are a bit tight and most of all, my bunion is killing me. Dustin is incredibly sore, but loved the race so much that we are ready to sign up for the 2013 3M race when they open up registration in May or June. It's so nice to have a hubby who can partake in my hobby with me.
Next on my fitness to do list - get into the Chicago Full Marathon (it sells out in hours)! I'm hopeful and am dying to run that. Now let's hope my bunions can keep up with me!!!
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