Running Blues: Race to Half Marathon Mountain

Well gang, when we last left off, I was just finishing up my training and preparing to run the half marathon in Indianapolis, IN. Two days before the race, my virtual training partner (he training in Knoxville while I was in Vincennes) Ben Sealey and his family showed up at our house, because Ben was racing the full marathon while I did the half. We did a two mile run together on Thursday night, and then headed up to Indianapolis on Friday around noon, to stay with an old college friend to catch up (and not have to pay for a hotel room). Our hosts were very nice, making a fantastic pasta dinner on Friday night to fuel our bellies for race day. After a few Bud Lights that evening, Ben and I hit the sack to awaken at 6:00 am. We had another great meal, this time oatmeal, and then we were off to the races. When we arrived, we had to walk about a half mile to the starting line area, where we both lubed up with vasoline in the sensative areas (we did this seperately of course). As the start time approached, we found our way to the proper seeding corral, the 9-10 minute pace group. After the usual opening shpeal, the starting gun fired and we were off. I had of course prepared a playlist for the ol' Ipod, so I was in the zone with some Metallica flowing between my ears. The first few miles of the race everyone was pretty compacted, but after a while everything loosened up and I found a comfortable pace. At mile 5 I slammed a Chocolate GU and some water, then at about mile 9 my dogs really started barking. My feet were becoming a little numb, probably due to the fact that my shoes were worn out, because I didn't have time to break in new pair of shoes before the race. But I kept moving forward. Around the same time the course turned into a park, and I ran on a trail for a short while, then we were back to the road, and the finish was closing in. At 10 miles I hit another GU, and some more water, and felt that finishing this race was reality. I was really feeling tired at this point, but the goal of finishing was keeping me upright and moving. At about mile 12 the coarse split for the half marathoners and marathoners, so I picked up the pace a little until mile 13 where I broke into a full run, seeing the finish line. I crossed the line at 2:00:28, pretty good for a first timer in my view. After I crossed the finish line, I recieved my finishers medal, and I was on top of the world. I sat around a firepit after a banana and some water, and then decided to hobble back to the car to change into street clothes and get something to eat while I waited for Ben to finish the marathon. All in all, this experience ranks up there with the birth of my son and my marriage (and my trip to Walt Disney World), as one the the greatest achievements of my life. Next time I will get into my sore knee, and the post half marathon running, or lack there of I should say.