afternoon run at Westtown School

I like to run over at Westtown School once a week for a few different reasons.  One of them is because there is a trail run that goes around the lake there.  I am guessing it is probably about 3/4 of a mile or so, and since I have some trail runs coming up soon, its good practice.  The second reason is that the scenery is beautiful.  Love it.  There was some overcast today, and its not quite springtime yet, but its still beautiful.

First off, got my new shows today.  I know what most of you are thinking, but the answer is "No, I am not sponsored by SAUCONY.  I did actually pay for these.

So I headed over to the lake and just took some pics as I went around it.

Westtown School has a ropes course.  This is one of the obstacles.

This bridge actually leads out onto a little island.

Christopher's 3rd Birthday Party at Bounce U

OK, so I get home at 12:45pm from my first half marathon in Delaware.  I would love nothing more than to relax, take a nap, rest up, and just veg....but of course that isn't going to happen.  Today is Christopher's 3rd birthday party, and it starts at 2:15.  Lovely.

As sore as I was, I had a blast.  Here are some pics:


Chris and Nathan

Chris, Nathan, Micah, and Noah

Chris

Nathan

Bob and Cole Bonnes.  Take a wild guess who had more fun at Bounce U

Luke Bonnes

Me and Christopher.  I was so sore, that climbing up this slide was the most painful thing I had done in years

Lauren and Cole Bonnes

Shawn & Ben Beears

Nathan and I

Chris blowing out his candles

The Beears

The Butlers (Chris's godparents)

Good lord!

Big present

Bounce U is 15 minutes away from home. 
Chris was out cold as soon as he got in the car.  What a great day!!!



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!