Monday, April 23, 2012

Glass City Half Marathon

This past weekend I traveled back to my hometown of Toledo to partake in my second running of the Glass City Half Marathon. It's a relatively flat course and takes runners through a beautiful local park. The Toledo Roadrunners do a great job putting the run together. I did have a few issues, though.

New Mizuno Wave Inspire8
The Expo is not that great. I realize that this is a smaller race and it's hard to get companies in for it. Most of the booths that were set up were random companies like Supper Supers. I think only a handful had much to do with running. One aspect I do like about this expo is it's association with the University of Toledo Medical School. They are on hand to discuss the benefits of running, do screenings for diabetes, cholesterol AND a rapid AIDS test. This is the only expo I have seen that offers that and the councling that goes with it.

While at the expo I also purchased new running shoes, a tshirt and calf sleeves. The calf sleeves were supposed to be worn during the run but the weather was colder then expected. My intial plan was to wear a skirt and tank with calf and arm sleeves. When I woke, 5:30am, it was about 10 degrees cooler then I had expected. I switched gears and ran instead in pants, long sleeve T, and a windbreaker. The pants were a good call. The windbreaker was not. I would have taken it off but I had my bib pinned across the zipper! The weather during this run both years has been a bit of a toss up. And I haven't been able to run in my original planned outfit yet!
Even with this many there were long lines!

My sister and her boyfriend took me to the run and "stayed" to cheer me on (they left shortly after the start to get breakfast). We arrived with about 20 minutes till start and I of course and to immediately pee. Sophie graciously stood in one line while I stood in another to see which got to the porta potties first. I finally made it and was just exiting the pottie when the gun went off for the handcycles. I ran to the corral, climbed over the fence and landed in the roughly 6min pacers! But I at least started on time.



Mile 2 or so. Glad I went before!
I had decided that I was just going to fun run this half. My pace was relatively easy, and I enjoyed myself. I stopped and took random pictures along the way and even sent texts to Sophie with my progress. I ran into an old grade school friend at one of the water stops. We didn't catch up much but I hugged him, said hello to his wife and ran on. Running makes you do weird things. Had I not been running I doubt very much that I would have hugged a guy I haven't seen in 15 years and had never hugged before. Eh! Oh well!




BEER!
One other issue I have with this run is there is a long section from mile 8 to mile 10 with only one water stop and that is early in mile 8. And then there's two waters stops along mile 10-11. I was dying! It was at this point that I tried to pick up my pace and come in with a negative split. I think I came in pretty even but it was nice to know I still could turn over my legs like I had in mile 1. Upside, beer was being passed out at mile 12! I of course partook but regretted it about a quarter of a mile later when I started burping a fair bit.











































My sister was waiting for me right around mile 12.5. I'm pretty sure the photog that was there got a shot of me with a giant smile on my face. Even though it was only a half it still meant a lot to me to have her there cheering and having all the other supporters along the way.











I came in with an official time of 2:21:46. Had I not stopped to take pics and talk I may have come in about 10 minutes earlier. I'm still happy with my time and am hopeful for the full in a month. I'm a little sore today but I think it's from driving back to CLE shortly after the run.

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