2nd half

Yesterday I finished my 2nd half.  I had a huge goal for 2 hours flat.  I knew that it would be pushing it but I knew that it was doable.  My secret goal was anything below 2:12.  I didn't want to let myself down by not getting 2 hours.

I got up at 4am...yes 4.  I had to go to the bathroom and then couldn't fall back asleep.  I laid in bed until 4:45.  I had packed my bag the night before.  We were expecting bad weather.  Rain, wind, hail, tornadoes...the whole Kansas Shebang!!  My theory is I would rather have it and not need it, then not have it and need it.  I brought my leggings, my capris, two pairs of socks, underwear, three shirts, my shoes, my new hat, and flip flops.  You just can't be over prepared for something you can't control.  I got up this morning and the weather was beautiful!  They had pushed the nasty weather back until later that afternoon.

Jo and Cleo got to my house a little after 5:10am and we headed to pick up Richard.  After picking up Richard we headed to Abilene.  We got to Abilene around 5:40.  We walked a little bit, went to the restroom, waited around and talked.  Jo and I debated what to wear, if we were going to run with our hydration belts...it was then that we decided that we would run a comfortable pace and not worry about our 2 hour time goal.

The race starts in front of the Eisenhower museum and goes south highway 15 (I believe.)  You run on the highway for 2 very long straight flat miles.  You finally take a left into Brown's Memorial Park and run through the park.  Jo and I were running at an amazing pace, pacing ourselves perfect.  We had made the agreement on Thursday that I wouldn't leave her and she wouldn't leave me.  During the race she thought she was slowing me down and I thought I was slowing her down.   We both agreed that we were running a perfect pace for us.  On our way to the turnaround point we saw Richard flying by.  We were both impressed with how strong and great he looked.  We hooted and hollered at him.  He did a little bow and kept running. 

At the turnaround point we were at an hour.  Jo and I are perfect for running together.  We go by our heart rate instead of pace.  At mile 8 I asked what her heart rate was and she said "176, what's yours?"  I replied "178."  Jo's fairly taller than I am, so if we were the same height our heart rates would be the same.  My knee started to really bother me and I pushed through the pain.  Every other stride had me almost in tears.  Jo wasn't gonna leave me.  She said she felt like walking and I told her to keep going.  That we were almost there.  We could do it!!

At mile 10 with a 5k left we had 27 minutes left to meet our 2 hour time goal.  We picked up the pace a little but I couldn't hang and neither could she.  With a mile left all I wanted to was walk.  We could see the finish, but it was so far away!!  Richard was at the half mile mark, telling us we only had an 800 left.  2 laps around the track.  I told him to shut up, with a smile on my face.  With a quarter of a mile left Cleo was there cheering for us telling us it was a lap around the track.  To kick it in, give it everything we've got.  Jo and I started laughing and told her that we've used everything and we had nothing left.

I saw my parents and Brandon.  My mom yelled "Holy heck 2:03!"  There it was the finish line.  Jo and I grabbed each others hand and crossed the finish line hand in hand with a time of 2:03 flat.  11th and 12th in our age group.  We all did an amazing job.  Cleo finished 2nd in her age group, Kim finished 1st woman overall, and 1st in her age group, and Richard finished 3rd in his age group.

Jo, Richard and I before the half

Jo and I

Jo, Cleo and I (Cleo ran the 10k)

All of us before

All of us after

   

Ohh Richard 

Here are our splits

1	9:13.4
2	8:59.7
3	8:52.4
4	8:59.5
5	9:22.7
6	9:12.9
7	9:06.8
8	9:16.0
9	9:45.1
10	9:54.0
11	9:48.1
12	9:31.5
13	9:15.1
14	2:05.8