1:58:33...first half marathon time!
I was very pumped to end my first half marathon with a time under 2 hours! My goal was to come in around 2 hours in the Park2Park half, but without running a half before, I just wasn't sure if I could reach this goal. The training schedule I followed all summer had my final time right around 2 hours, so I felt like my goal was within my reach before starting last Saturday morning.
It was a great morning for a run, and the route was beautiful in Holland running along Lake Macatawa, up Ottawa Beach Road to the State Park, viewing the beautiful Lake Michigan, and heading back to the Ottawa Fairgrounds where we began the race. The second half was hilly, which I wasn't expecting, PLUS a quick hill in the last 100 yards or so to the finish line...which I was dreading the whole race when I spotted the hill around mile 2...eek!
Some highlights:
- I ran ahead of the 9 minute/mile pacers (two women about my age or maybe a little younger), and they were the best pacers I have experienced in the two long races I have done. They cheered loudly at every mile, they encouraged the runners around them so well, they thanked/cheered for almost every spectators they passed for the first several miles, and they always were a reminder to me that I was keeping pace (even though I had my Nike app on my phone telling me my pace every mile too :)). Around mile 6 these 9 minute/mile pacers passed me, but with their neon yellow shirts on I kept them within view the rest of the race. One of them even ran back after finishing to the last sprint of the half marathon on the fairgrounds to encourage me as I tried to sprint to the end...what an encouragement they were to me and many running around me!
- The views along the lakes were awesome! How amazing to see God's spectacular beauty, encouraging me to remember who to give the glory to upon finishing the race.
- The spectators outside their homes in the residential areas were fun to see, and there were many signs that were fun to read..."Are your feet tired yet? That's because they are kicking butt!" :) "Hit the spot for power" (at about mile 8 this was a fun one to run by and slap as motivation to keep going), and also a few Bible verses that were inspirational!
- Just like the Riverbank 25k, I had an emotional encounter with a family member along my race. Mitch was unable to come with the kids, so I ran thinking I wouldn't know any of the spectators. Makes it less exciting, but wasn't a huge deal. At mile 9, my legs were beginning to cramp and I was just not sure I could keep my under 9 minute/mile pace, my back was starting to hurt, and I wanted to be done. That's when I heard my name and saw my sister-in-law, Sara, standing along the road by Tunnel Park waving a white "clapper", cheering for me, showing all her emotions as I passed by. :) I loved it, and it was a huge bonus to see someone I knew at that time in the race. I ran through Tunnel Park's parking lot, saw her once more heading out of the park, got a high five from her, and then continued down mile 9 towards mile 10...all the while hearing "Go, Emily, go!" It was awesome, and Sara is awesome for doing that for me! :)
- The last two miles were tough. My back was breaking, my legs were achy, and I was starting to slow my pace down, just telling myself to finish, but also having my 2 hour goal in mind. I knew if I crossed the finish line under 2 hours or at that goal, I had a reward coming! Mitch told me that he would run my next 5k with me if I beat 2 hours. However, the last two miles I just wasn't sure I could do it. I pressed on...and kicked it in gear the last sprint to the finish just hoping I could make it under 2 hours...
- I remember hearing my time at mile 12...1 hour, 47 minutes. I had started my app a little late because the GPS wasn't working great at the beginning of the race, so I knew I had been running a little longer than that time. I was worried about beating the 2 hours because of that, but optimistic I could do it. I remember saying to myself, "If you don't make your goal, you are going to want to run another half marathon again soon. You don't WANT to run another half marathon soon, so reach your goal TODAY!" :)
-It was so exciting to finish under my goal and call Mitch to let him know he needed to lace up his running shoes with me. On October 15, we will run our first 5k together...I'm so excited! :)
Not sure another half marathon or 25k is in my future, but for now I'm resting my body (back, hips, knees, feet, toe nails...:)) and enjoying the break from running momentarily. The plan is to run tomorrow morning after having last week off...;) Will I go past 13 miles again someday???? Time will tell...and maybe my body too...
I was very pumped to end my first half marathon with a time under 2 hours! My goal was to come in around 2 hours in the Park2Park half, but without running a half before, I just wasn't sure if I could reach this goal. The training schedule I followed all summer had my final time right around 2 hours, so I felt like my goal was within my reach before starting last Saturday morning.
It was a great morning for a run, and the route was beautiful in Holland running along Lake Macatawa, up Ottawa Beach Road to the State Park, viewing the beautiful Lake Michigan, and heading back to the Ottawa Fairgrounds where we began the race. The second half was hilly, which I wasn't expecting, PLUS a quick hill in the last 100 yards or so to the finish line...which I was dreading the whole race when I spotted the hill around mile 2...eek!
Some highlights:
- I ran ahead of the 9 minute/mile pacers (two women about my age or maybe a little younger), and they were the best pacers I have experienced in the two long races I have done. They cheered loudly at every mile, they encouraged the runners around them so well, they thanked/cheered for almost every spectators they passed for the first several miles, and they always were a reminder to me that I was keeping pace (even though I had my Nike app on my phone telling me my pace every mile too :)). Around mile 6 these 9 minute/mile pacers passed me, but with their neon yellow shirts on I kept them within view the rest of the race. One of them even ran back after finishing to the last sprint of the half marathon on the fairgrounds to encourage me as I tried to sprint to the end...what an encouragement they were to me and many running around me!
- The views along the lakes were awesome! How amazing to see God's spectacular beauty, encouraging me to remember who to give the glory to upon finishing the race.
- The spectators outside their homes in the residential areas were fun to see, and there were many signs that were fun to read..."Are your feet tired yet? That's because they are kicking butt!" :) "Hit the spot for power" (at about mile 8 this was a fun one to run by and slap as motivation to keep going), and also a few Bible verses that were inspirational!
- Just like the Riverbank 25k, I had an emotional encounter with a family member along my race. Mitch was unable to come with the kids, so I ran thinking I wouldn't know any of the spectators. Makes it less exciting, but wasn't a huge deal. At mile 9, my legs were beginning to cramp and I was just not sure I could keep my under 9 minute/mile pace, my back was starting to hurt, and I wanted to be done. That's when I heard my name and saw my sister-in-law, Sara, standing along the road by Tunnel Park waving a white "clapper", cheering for me, showing all her emotions as I passed by. :) I loved it, and it was a huge bonus to see someone I knew at that time in the race. I ran through Tunnel Park's parking lot, saw her once more heading out of the park, got a high five from her, and then continued down mile 9 towards mile 10...all the while hearing "Go, Emily, go!" It was awesome, and Sara is awesome for doing that for me! :)
- The last two miles were tough. My back was breaking, my legs were achy, and I was starting to slow my pace down, just telling myself to finish, but also having my 2 hour goal in mind. I knew if I crossed the finish line under 2 hours or at that goal, I had a reward coming! Mitch told me that he would run my next 5k with me if I beat 2 hours. However, the last two miles I just wasn't sure I could do it. I pressed on...and kicked it in gear the last sprint to the finish just hoping I could make it under 2 hours...
- I remember hearing my time at mile 12...1 hour, 47 minutes. I had started my app a little late because the GPS wasn't working great at the beginning of the race, so I knew I had been running a little longer than that time. I was worried about beating the 2 hours because of that, but optimistic I could do it. I remember saying to myself, "If you don't make your goal, you are going to want to run another half marathon again soon. You don't WANT to run another half marathon soon, so reach your goal TODAY!" :)
-It was so exciting to finish under my goal and call Mitch to let him know he needed to lace up his running shoes with me. On October 15, we will run our first 5k together...I'm so excited! :)
Not sure another half marathon or 25k is in my future, but for now I'm resting my body (back, hips, knees, feet, toe nails...:)) and enjoying the break from running momentarily. The plan is to run tomorrow morning after having last week off...;) Will I go past 13 miles again someday???? Time will tell...and maybe my body too...
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