cleveland half.

this was my 2nd year running in the annual cleveland half marathon.  i was up before dawn, readying myself for race day. this year, aunt linda, my mom, and my dad all came down to cheer me on.  i am so thankful.  it was also exciting as it was my dad's first time seeing me run in a half marathon!

we arrived downtown just after 6 a.m., and made our way to browns stadium. it's nice to have the stadium for the race, as you can use "real" bathrooms versus porta potties, as well as stay under the roof if the weather calls for it....as it was last year.  last year the weather was cold and rainy.  this year it was the opposite, sunny and warm.  the temps were already near 70* at the 7 a.m. start.

the race began to the sounds of "cleveland rocks" (made famous by the drew carey show), and off we went.  i crossed the start line about 15 minutes after the gun went off.

the first few miles were especially crowded, and i even was forced to walk at times due to congestion.  around mile 3 or 4 i finally started to settle in and find my pace.  and sweat already was drenching me.

i always have the goal in mind to pr (personal record) on my best current time, but it was more in the back of my mind for this race, since i pr'd at the towpath half marathon last month.  but the goal was still there.  (spoiler: i didn't pr this race, which i was ok with completely!).

considering the sun was shining bright and the temperature was warm, i was holding up pretty good, pacing sometimes where i wanted it and sometimes slower than i had planned, but i took it as i could.  as we headed east back toward downtown, running into the sun, it was around mile 6 or 7 when i started to feel it. i was ok though, and appreciative of some hose sprays around mile 7.  i was holding my own, possibly a bit slower than i wanted, but it was necessary, as to not injure myself or get sick.  i was doing pretty good, trucking along, listening to my music, enjoying the crowd support.  mile 8, we did dodge an ambulance that came through.  i hope whomever was in there was ok!  

then came mile 9.  oh my.  mile 9 did me in.  sometimes this is where i hit a wall, but i was determined not to do that and didn't, at least in the way i normally hit "the wall".  i was good, there was a downhill, which ran right into an uphill.  the beast hill.  this was not in the race route last year.  it was sick.  it was a very steep hill.  it was hot.  i saw someone off on the side belly up.  more medical help was on the way for them.  hope they are ok too!  i tried to run it, slowly, but realized quickly that was not happening.  i knew there was a bridge at mile 10, and this was mile 9.5.  i decided to be smart and walk, just like every other person around me.  we all literally walked.  and that took a lot of energy.  that beast of a hill is what did me in for this race, with the heat.  it would have been hard to not walk it if it was cold weather.  in this heat, it was mandatory to walk it as to not hurt yourself, especially for those full marathoners who had a lot further to go.

after mile 9, i had to do some run/walk breaks.  i try to be smart in all races, and this one especially.  i made sure to walk through the water stops i used, splash water on my face as well as drink it, and to listen to my body.  i didn't want to have heatstroke or something happen.  i wanted to finish the race, as strong as i could.
  i made it over the long bridge that crossed us back into downtown.  the bridge comes down to progressive field, and just like last year, i got so teary as i came around to that spot.  i am not sure why...i don't know if it is seeing and hearing the crowd that gathers there, or knowing i made it back into the city, and being close to the end, or what, but it got me last year, as well as this year.  for the rest of the race i had to hold back from crying.  maybe it is the feeling of "i am doing this, really doing this again.".  i don't know, but the rest of the race i was emotional.  i tried hard to keep running, but i got to the point where i had to give in.  so i would run, then take a short walk break.  just after mile 12, we split from the full marathoners.  i felt bad for them, knowing that the heat was just going to climb.  i was thankful i was doing the half!

finally i got to east 9th, to head toward the finish line.  this is where i saw my family, looking for me.  they didn't see me, so i flagged them down.  at this point, i was holding back from crying and losing it altogether.  between the emotion of turning onto east 9th street, the last leg before the finish, and hearing the roar of the crowds there, and seeing my family, and knowing i am about to finish my 7th(!) half marathon, i was holding back from breaking down!  so i stopped really quick, and they tried to get a photo, but my legs would not let me stop, b/c it was so hard to move if i stopped.  the picture below is what they got of me....i look like i was having a tantrum.  i was just trying to hold it together.  

i got a second wind, and ran down the hill and made the turn to the finish line.  

i crossed the finish line with a time of 2:13:59.  and how about that, it was faster (by seconds) than last year's half.  this race was my 3rd best half marathon so far!

my garmin tells me i ran 13.38 miles in that amount of time, which would mean my 13.1 was actually earlier than the chip time.  but you have to go by the official clock with 13.1, no matter!  so it was my 3rd best time to date!  and with the conditions i was more than happy with it.

here are my splits.  this is according to the garmin's 13.38 miles  (i account some of that mileage to dodging and weaving around people):

mile 1: 10:58

mile 2:  10:14

mile 3:  10:16

mile 4:  10:34

mile 5:  9:45

mile 6:  10:15

mile 7:  9:33  

mile 8:  10:09

mile 9:  9:35

mile 10:  9:47

mile 11:  10:17 

mile 12:  9:29

mile 13:  9:48

.38 nubbin:  8:54

after the race, i got misted by the hose, got my medal, and my goodies.  i inhaled a popsicle, that tasted sooooo good, and drank water like it was my job.  i stretched and waited for my family to find me.  i was drenched in sweat, don't let this photo fool you.

i did enjoy this race, as killer as it was.  i was proud of myself for hanging in, b/c there were thoughts of could i finish or not.  i saw the red flag, which means extreme weather conditions (next color flag up was "cancel" race due to weather).  i saw many runners down.  the spectators were awesome, and the support meant a lot.  it is so amazing how the spectators come out to help.  i saw strangers with encouraging signs, and words, and handing out water, or fruit or candy to help give us energy to keep going.  that is so amazing and we the runners truly appreciate it.  i can't remember them now, but there were some great signs out there too!  music too!

 i am proud to say that out of all my half marathons thus far, this one left me the least sore.  i could do stairs the next day with no trouble, that was a first.   

i love my medal, and it now is a part of such a growing collection.  i am still amazed that i have earned yet another medal.  it may have been my 7th time, but the awe that i actually did it is as fresh as that first half marathon.  it was a great day, i am thankful that i can do it.