Lincoln Marathon Race Recap

Today was the perfect day to be running in the Lincoln Marathon.  There was no wind and the temperature was perfect.  While I was waiting for the race to start, I had a sense of peace.  I knew that I would give it my best and that I would feel strong throughout the course.  It's funny that in that moment, I didn't even think about how it would feel to finish or if I would achieve my goal of a sub 2:00 half marathon.  My focus, at least before the race started, was on taking everything in.  There is something magical about being surrounded by people that share the same passion as you.  Right before the gun sounded, I was imagining us all as super heroes, all dressed up in our special attire, meeting together to conquer something. On any other day we would all be dressed in our regular clothing going about the day like everyone else, without anyone noticing that underneath the normalcy of our lives, we are runners.  I know this probably sounds a bit dreamy but that's what I was thinking about right before we took off.  To top it all off, I had a silly, almost giddy smile plastered on my face.

I can remember every mile because from the time I crossed the start mat, I worked very hard.  Every single step and mile took effort.  I spoke very little the entire time and tried to focus on keeping a good pace.  Every once in awhile, a smile would appear on my face as I thought of all the running superheros out to conquer the world together.  But overall, I was very focused.  My husband stayed by my side the entire time and made sure I knew where we were in regards to making our goal. He was amazing the whole time with affirmation, support, getting me water, guiding me as we wove through people.  I know I couldn't have gotten the time I did without him.  In regards to pace, I was all over the place but for the entire race stayed on track to meet the 2:00 mark.  Here are my mile splits:

Mile One: 9:12
Mile Two: 8:52
Mile Three: 9:16
Mile Four: 9:10
Mile Five: 9:06
Mile Six: 8:34
Mile Seven: 8:47
Mile Eight: 9:15
Mile Nine: 9:30 ( big hill and stomach issues)
Mile Ten: 9:03
Mile Eleven: 9:17
Mile Twelve: 9:34 (Stomach issues again)
Mile Thirteen: 9:38 (Hit some kind of wall and had a hard time picking up the pace to finish strong)
the last tenth of a mile: 53 seconds

When we hit mile twelve, I was really struggling.  I knew that I had to keep a fast pace and I wasn't sure If I could do it.  Looking back now, I know that I could have but at the time, it felt impossible.  We crossed the finish in 2:00:14.  I remember feeling annoyed.  If I would have pushed just a little harder, I would have gotten my sub 2:00 time.  14 seconds!  Going just a few seconds faster each mile would have done it.  But alas, it was not mine to be had this time.  I've had some time to reflect on my finish time and have found comfort in several things.  First, I ran hard today and I'm proud of that.  Second, I set a PR!  I totally smashed my previous half marathon time.  I cut it by 21 minutes!  Third, I am very motivated to train for another half and totally kill it.
I would say that today was a good day.  No, I didn't meet my ultimate goal but I still feel good about the race. When we were heading out of Lincoln on Hwy 2, I looked over at the empty bike trail.  Just a few hours before it had been packed with super hero runners and now they were gone.  We all had returned to our normal lives.  Many will never know what took place on the trail today and the dreams that were realized. But as I was driving by, I understood the sweat and effort that every runner put out today, and it made me smile.  In a strange way, the connection I felt to all those other runners, brought me comfort and a renewed commitment to lace up my shoes tomorrow and keep running.

Here are some pics from today's race :)

Before the race

Me after the race

My Love :)

My Running Buddies!  They did great today too!!!

So now that the race is over, I have decided to keep training for another half marathon. Fourteen seconds will not stand in the way of me and my goal of a sub 2:00 time!  I will get it and I know that it will happen soon.  This race gave me great insights into some of my weaknesses, which in the great scheme of things truly is a gift.  Not making my goal, has caused me to pause and reflect on how I could have run the race differently.  I know that I am capable of much more than I thought and that there truly are no limits other than the ones I set for myself.   I am a better person for having run this race today :)