I had been doing pretty good on eating this week until yesterday on the drive to Mississippi. I had some cereal with me that I was to eat, no matter where we stopped for Sherri to get something to eat. We stopped at Paul's Pizza Palace and got pizza! I kept telling myself that I was not eating any pizza, but I gave in - I just could not stand it.
I did not have to get up until about 6:30. However, I started tossing and turning at 4:30. After failing to go back to sleep, I got up at 6:00. The temperature was to be around 33 degrees at 8:00, (the Half started at 8:30). The high was expected to maybe reach 50, but that was to be after noon, and I hoped to be finished by 10:30.
I was running a decent pace (for me). According to the volunteer calling off the times, I was running 8:04 per mile after the first 4 miles. The only other time I remember being called out was 1:36:?? with 2.1 miles left. I knew then that if I could maintain a 10 minute pace I would beat my Clarksville Half time. I did - a whole 33 seconds faster. I feel pretty good about that, especially since this course had a lot more difficult hills. I am disgusted that I ran out of steam, though. My finish pace was 8:59, when I started off so well. I know I started off probably faster than I should have, but I still should have finished a little stronger. The reason for my fast pace was a 12 year-old girl running with her father. I wanted (had) to pass her! Six or seven miles into the run, her father had to "hit the bushes". She continued, but at a walk. I passed her! About a mile-and-a-half to 2 miles down the road, they passed me and the whole experience began to unravel. The whole problem was just one hill - the one hill that almost made me quit.
I finished with a time of 1:57:33, which was 94th out of 232 finishers. I was also 9th of 17 in the 40-44 age bracket and 23rd of 135 males.
Now, do I want to run the Country Music Marathon? Maybe I should just do the half and try to improve on my time again...
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