Best Race EVER!

My 2nd Half Marathon

I made it a goal to run a half marathon at an 8 minute pace (1:44:40 total time) a couple of months ago. And my training was going great. I could hold a 7:36 pace for 5+ miles and then keep going at a 7:50 pace for a few more miles. I figured if I could get a big enough lead I would have the option to slow down the last few miles and really enjoy the race. 

Like I said, training was going great, I was right on coarse, then Monday (5 days before the race) I got the flu. I was head in the toilet for 2 hours straight and made several return visits thereafter. I spent most of the day sleeping. Tuesday was a recover day, but I still made a trip to the gym in the p.m. for a walk/jog and the treadmill  I ran Wednesday and Friday, nothing like I was used to but I had to keep my muscles moving. 

So here we are, race day, October 1st 2011 in Battleground, Washington- Wine country to be exact. I was running in the (Inaugural) North County Wine Run. I have to give a shout out to my parents here, I had Kerry lined up to watch the girls but Bailey got the flu Friday night and I could not hand Kerry my germ filled child the next day (she would've be-friended me). Thus mom and dad came to my rescue, risking their health, early in the morning.  

Here I am 9 am, pre-race hanging out by the vineyard.

The race was beautiful and fun. We got to run through 3 different vineyards, picture grass fields and grapevines as your guidelines. We also ran through an old barn and past several green pastures. With that being said, there were more hills than I anticipated. I should have known wine country would have plenty of hills. At mile 5 I was 1minute 15seconds ahead of pace, but was hoping to be two minutes ahead. I held that lead for 3 more miles, but by mile 10 I had lost almost all of it. I knew mile 11 and 12 had some big hills to climb because I'd gone down them early in the race. I lost a little confidence at this point and my left foot was hurting slightly but I kept going. The hills came and went and my pace slowed a bit. I had enough chutzpah at the end and picked up my pace (it was slightly down hill too).

At first I was disappointed that I didn't make my goal, but as the minutes passed I became very proud of what I had accomplished. 

Post race, a little worse for wear, hanging by the grapes.

My official time was 1:47:05

That's an 8:10 pace.

I came in 37th place overall (259 runners)

I finished 12th overall for the women

and

I came in 5th place for my age group of 30-39 year olds (49 participants)

I'm so proud of this race and what I accomplished. I still have the desire to run under an 8 minute mile pace. I'll see if  I can find another race with a flatter coarse and try not to get sick right before the event and then maybe I'll consider doing it. Only time will tell.