Sunday I ran the Dallas Rock n Roll Half Marathon. It was the first time I've ever run that distance in a race format with other people. There were some things I really loved about the race and some things that I was less than thrilled with.
So now it's time to do what I do and break it down by time.*
7:15am - Thinking I've got plenty of time to get there, I'm about 1/4 mile from my exit off the highway when I hit a wall of traffic. The half is run by 10,969 people. Factor in that the average person will have two people there to cheer them on and you've got over 30,000 people trying to get to the same destination as you.
7:50am - The race starts in ten minutes. I'm still in my car. The pre-race supplements and caffeine is starting to make me jittery. The added stress that I hate being late does not help. The exit that the Rock n Roll site told everyone to take is closed. A half-assed detour has been made and it's screwing with my world.
7:55am - Finally get parked. My corral is about to start running in about ten minutes. I still need to relieve myself of some of the caffeinated garbage in my bladder and take a shuttle to the race site.
8:20am - Make it to the start of the race. Instead of running in Corral #3 with the other 7 minute milers, I'm in Corral 16. I'm surrounded by strollers, groups of five or more with linked arms and random costumed individuals.
8:25am - Van Halen's 'Right Now' is blaring on the loud speakers. My nervous, over-caffeinated body can't contain itself. I erupt in song. Almost immediately the large fellow next to me wearing a belt overloaded with supplements, nutrition bars, water and energy drink tells me I need to shut up because I'm ruining his pre-race ritual. I inform him I'm doing my pre-race ritual and continue to sing. DON'T WANT TO WAIT! TIL TOMORROOOOOOOOOW!
8:30am - Game time. Time to put my serious hat on and get this beast done. The mad dash to escape the 15 minute milers has begun. I've become The Flash.
8:54am - The first 5k (3.1 miles) is done. I averaged over 8 minutes a mile. This is not good. Time to leg it out.
9:17am - The 10k is completed. I ran the second 3.1 miles in 23:31. I'm doing better. Start targeting runners way ahead of me wearing ugly neon shirts as racing targets I must pass.
9:46am - Hit the 10 mile point around 1hr16min. This means I've cranked out the past 4 miles in 29 minutes. I'm getting faster. Ugly neon orange pants 200 yards up the street is going down.
10:10am - I cross the finish line. I ran the last 3.1 miles in 24 minutes. My official race time ended up being 1:40:38.
My goal was to finish between 1:30 and 1:40. Mission almost accomplished, but given my horrendous start, I'm thrilled. I finished 69th in my age group out of 525 and overall I placed 528 out of 10,969.
After hitting up the food line for some post-race temporary sustenance, I wandered the parking lot for 20 minutes trying to remember where I parked my car. Apparently running a half marathon leaves me even more disoriented than I usually already am. Finally finding my car, I grab my phone and sweatshirt before heading back in to meet up with friends. It starts to rain, we take the party to La Grange for a stellar brunch buffet, I eat too much and promptly return to bed for much needed sleep.
Looking back, starting so far behind than I had planned was a huge advantage and disadvantage. I think I ran stronger because I was pushing to catch up to the serious running pack the entire time, but being so far back meant I had to spend a lot of time weaving trying to navigate through the slower crowd. I think if I'd started with the 7 minute milers I would have over exerted myself way too soon and then gotten discouraged when people started to pass me by the hundred.
*Not mentioned in time schedule is the decision to hit up Inwood Theater the night before for a midnight showing of The Goonies. I mean, it's the freakin' Goonies!
I'm Joe.