Ceasar Rodney 1/2 Marathon

The day is finally here.  My first 1/2 marathon.  I have been waiting 3 months for this day.  I am super excited.

I show up about 45 minutes early at Rodney Squre in Wilmington. There was a 5k race that started an hour before the 1/2 marathon.  Below is a pic of the finish line (used for both races)

The spread for the finishers.  There was also pizza and soft pretzels

races2run.com   

Just a few minutes away from the start

Senator Carper's 29th CR 1/2 Marathon

The starting line. 

And we are off....I started towards the back for this one.  There were 1300+ runners.  I didn't cross the starting line until a minute after the gun went off.

Just past the first mile marker.  Running at about an 8 and 1/2 minute mile so far.  Feeling great so far.

Passing the second mile marker, still on an 8 and 1/2 minute pace.  They had some drummers from one of the local marching bands playing as we ran by.  It was pretty cool.

The 3 mile marker, still on the same pace.

The next mile is run along the Wilmington Riverfront (a boardwalk).  Absolutely beautiful

So I get past the first 5 miles at about 45 minutes.  Feeling pretty good so far.  Got a nice chunck of the race behind me, just focusing on getting to mile 8 at this point.  Mile 5-6 is back through the city of Wilmington, and now up towards Rockford Park.  I have run this part before for the 10 mile race back in January.  Lots of hills coming up. 

I hit mile 7, going up hill, and the leader is coming back down the hill.  Mile 7 and 12 are at the same place on the road (passing each other).  They have a cop on a motorcycle in front of the leader.

and here is the leader.  This is Daryl Brown.  I have run probably 15 races that Daryl has also run.  The guy is a freaking machine.

So, after mile 7 I start to slow down.  It is a lot of up hill running, and my legs are starting to feel sore.  I still feel pretty good though.  I get to mile 9, and it starts to flatten out a bit.  I hit mile 10, and my time so far is 1 hour and 35 minutes.  If I can run the final 3 miles in 25 minutes (which I did yesterday), I can break 2 hours.  That would be amazing for a first time 1/2 marathon.  I get a monster kick of adrenaline and start pushing myself hard.

and then I got to about the 10 1/2 mile spot, and just hit the wall.  I was spent.  Every part of my legs were killing me.  I knew that there was no way I could keep this pace up, so now I just wanted to finish (and not have to walk).  I hit mile 11, and I was really moving slow now.  Felt like I was just a step above walking.  It felt like it took me fifteen minutes to get through mile 11.

And then I saw this....and I knew it would al be over soon.

Mile 12 was physically tough, but I knew it was the last one.  It was a great feeling knowing that I was just about 10-15 minutes away from finishing my first 1/2 marathon. 

Of course it ends on a huge 1/4 mile up hill run.  It was brutal, but the finish line was in site.  I finished at 2 hours, 12 minutes (it took me almost 35 minutes to run the last 2.6 miles).  My chip time was 2 hours, 11 minutes. 

What a great experience.  I now know what it takes to do a 1/2 marathon, and can't wait to do another one (in May). 

Forget the medal, give me pizza!!!

A picture of a true runner!  This should be a poster.

Very sweet long sleeve tech shirts.  Here is the front 

and the back

Finally, the finisher's medal.  Pretty sweet.  Hopefully, the first of many more!