Wounded Warrior Half Marathon 6/9/2013

I didn’t think much when Casey expressed interest in this low-overhead half; all I knew about the event were the date, distance, and that it’s close to Casey’s condo.  It would be a good training run during off-season.

_goal
I used the “D” race as December 2013 Dallas Marathon simulation.
1.    Injury free.
2.    Negative split.
3.    Boston qualifying pace: 100-minute finish.

_weather
I arrived the course early enough to claim the best parking spot in William Square west garage.  If there were 3-second warning before the parking tower collapsed, I had a chance of getting out.

A megaphone-equipped volunteered announced the first 15-minute weather delay.  Like many others, I walked back to my car and lost myself in phone surfing.  I found no race update via website, tweeter, or facebook.  Megaphone drove by to announce each new start time. 

The race eventually started after 75-minute delay.

_steeplechase
I set Garmin 305 to 7:44 pace.  I counted on fast final 5k.  Due to Marriott washroom line, I started 200 runners back.  This turned out fortunate: the first group ran through calf-deep water at the spillway.  We slower starters detoured after seeing the depth. 

I ingested 150 calories shortly before the gun.  The beans and gel weren’t totally happy in the stomach at marathon effort.  The air was 30 degrees F higher than ideal with 100% humidity.  I wasn’t overheating at this pace.

_pacing
Everyone around me accelerated around 5k mark.  I held back.  I spotted VJ from Plano Pacers.  VJ was unaware of pacing strategies beyond perceived effort.  I became his rabbit.

Running half marathon at marathon pace was relaxing.  I socialized with runners around me.  I realized how much I feared the wall during first 13 miles of Irving Marathon.  VJ started to struggle.  I updated him on quarter-mile splits, remaining distances, and projected finish times—information mostly useless to a runner unable to keep up.  By mile 9 we lost double-digit every quarter mile.  He gave up the pace after the climb to the bridge above the spillway. 

_run by feel
5k to go.  I surged.  Legs didn’t enjoy sub-7:00 pace.  I lack incentive to dig and stick to 100-minute goal.  I ran against the wind at steady pace.

Half and 10k courses merged.  I passed fully geared soldiers.  I thanked them.  Unusual numbers of obese females walked the 10k.  I had difficulty suppressing judgments.  I didn’t know their stories other than they showed up for a charity event for wounded soldiers.  I encourage them and moved on.

_post-race
Finish line nutrition were limited to
1.    Water
2.    Sugar water with artificial color
3.    Pancake with very long line
4.    Muscle milk racers weren’t allowed to have because “they’re not cold yet, maybe another 10 minutes.”
I was hoping for banana and chocolate milk.

Casey and I went to Corner Bakery for brunch. 

During the drive home, I thought about Alexie’s _The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time indian_ and Roll’s _Finding Ultra_--2 bios I recently read.  I recalled out-of-shape participants and thought “that could’ve been me.”