In February of 2006, I ran my first half marathon in San Francisco in 1 hour and 44 minutes and some odd seconds.  To have run in the same race with my niece Odessa was an incredible experience for me—more significant than the race itself.   Although I was pleased with my time, the race completely kicked my butt and I recall barely being able to walk through the airport terminal with my wife, Nora, the following day to catch our flight back to Colorado.  It wasn’t pretty or, rather, I wasn't pretty!  Once back at home, I learned I had a small stress fracture that necessitated no running for one month.   I had to back out of a much-anticipated upcoming race and simply allow the injury to heal.  I stopped running altogether for several months and ended up not participating in another half marathon for over a year.  Once the running resumed, I began training properly for the first time in my life—following a specific training plan while keeping an eye on some future half marathon possibilities.  Over time, I began focusing on a lofty goal that I wasn’t sure I could ever attain:  to someday run a half marathon in less than 1 hour and 30 minutes.   After the San Francisco run, a 1:30 half seemed completely beyond my reach as the needed 6:52 per mile pace did not seem doable.  Nevertheless, there it was and that possibility became a source of great inspiration during my training runs.  For many half marathon runners, the 1:30 threshold is a significant milestone to surpass and represents an exciting level of achievement.  During 2007, I stayed injury-free and ran in 4 half marathons with “personal records” in each successive race:  1:41, 1:38, 1:36 and, last October, 1:32:06.   I would have five months to train in anticipation of my next half marathon, "The Better Half Marathon" in Gateway, Colorado on March 8th.  I trained all winter peaking at about 70 miles a week including a great deal of running indoors at the gym.  Words cannot describe how old running on treadmills became on cold winter days but I wanted to keep with the plan.  I was so happy to get back outdoors in mid-February as I was so over the treadmill scene.

                                                                                                                                    

Dolores River Canyon, south of Gateway, Colorado

Finally, March 8th had arrived and we were on our way to Gateway, Colorado!!!  “The Better Half Marathon” is a fantastic event that is run through the spectacular red rock Dolores River Canyon near the Colorado/Utah border.  Unlike the Canyonlands HM in Moab, Utah which attracts several thousand runners, this event had approximately 100 entrants so it was a very small scale and low-key affair.  The course is generally level with some good hills but, thankfully, no monsters.  Because the race was run along a lightly used highway, the road remained open allowing Nora to drive ahead and take some great pictures during the race.  (Kudos to Nora for the photography!)  

We drove to a remote stretch of canyon road and waited for all the runners to arrive before the 9:30 start.  I had an easy warm-up jog of 2 miles or so in the cool morning air. Temps were in the mid-40s and rising slowly with no wind—about as good as it gets for me personally. Note the woman in red in the picture to the left.  I am hidden directly behind her—I can’t remember her name but she took the lead about 10 feet out of the gates and never looked back...winning the race with an incredible time.***  We later heard that she is planning on running in the U.S. women's Olympic marathon trials in April.  Who knows if she'll make the Olympic team but she was an absolutely astounding runner.  Anyway, the organizer gave an impromptu speech to the excited pack and “3—2—1!”….WE WERE OFF!!! 

I set my sights on running a 6:52 per mile pace (equaling the overall 1:30 HM time) or better.  There is so much adrenalin in the first half mile that you can easily get swept up in the momentum.  When I looked at my watch after about 1/3rd of a mile….my pace was sub-6---a mistake I needed to correct quickly.   Many runners passed me as I slowed down to around 6:45 or so and I thought, “Geze, this is one fast pack”.  About 1 mile into the race, I had either caught up to or passed many in the initial pack who had gone out too fast (the woman in red though…she was GONE!).  My first mile timed at 6:53. “Alright!”, I thought. "right on".  That’s exactly where I wanted to be.  Now, I just needed to relax and settle in for the long haul.  I felt good and there was nothing more than the usual stiffness early on.  On these long runs, it is so important to “stay loose” because nerves seem to tighten the whole body.  I’m sure I repeat the “stay loose” mantra hundreds of times during a race.  

Mile 2:  6:43

The first few miles go by so quickly it can be deceiving because you feel so darn good and strong and think you can conquer the world—especially after laying low the previous week to store up all your energy for the race—to the point that you’re jumping out of your skin by the time you reach the starting line.   It’s the only time I appreciate what those horses feel like in the starting gates at the Kentucky Derby. Literally. You’re just so ready to go forward.

Mile 3:  6:46

“Relax and feel the rhythm….the day is absolutely perfect….don’t worry…enjoy the ride…...relax…..stay with it…..WOW!!  LOOK AT THIS OUTRAGEOUS CANYON!!!”

Mile 4:  6:40

A long, gradual incline..  "Stay loose….don’t let up…..run through it...accelerate on the downhill”

Mile 5:  6:38

For me, mile 5 (or around that point) is when “cruise control” kicks in; when the legs are finally “there”; when the internal "noise" has quieted and I’m just feeling the whole experience.  I remember feeling great somewhere about this point—a meditation of joy and thankfulness that I could be here on this day to celebrate life in it’s purest form—you could say, "in the moment". 

Mile 6:  6:48

In the zone….wow…the halfway point already!  All systems GO. 

Mile 7:  6:39

Approaching the bigger hills of the race that were really not that bad (but “hills” nonetheless).   I know I may give up some time here but I’m committed to staying as close to my pace as I can.  I don’t want to lapse into the 7’s on this stretch.  I dig in.

Mile 8:  6:43 

Stretching the arms.....everything is happening now and we're rollin' down the road........the highway is amazingly quiet.

Mile 9:  6:52 

Tough uphill mile.  “Hey, there’s Nora!!!!!” catching me on the downhill.

It was at this point in the race that I realized I had now been running my fastest pace ever for this distance—certainly the fastest sustained pace since running cross-country in high school some 35 years ago.  As I passed the 10-mile marker, I was thinking, “I will either beat 1:30 today or the wheels will be coming off shortly and that will be the end of this deal!”.  Thankfully, the wheels stayed on.  I was starting to get pretty excited.  “Keep it together man…. Just keep it TO-GE-THER”.  I was looking forward to the last downhill mile into Gateway.

Mile 10:  6:42 

Mile 10 is usually my toughest mile—physically and mentally—in a half marathon.  I don't know what it is but the "10" is significant.  There’s still a long way to go and many runners who’ve been doing well so far often begin fading at this point.  My goal is to not slow down here....to keep steady at my 6:40 or so pace.  Hopefully, my long Sunday training runs of 18-20 miles would pay off now.  All those thousands of training miles over the years would now return the favor.  I wondered where the leader was and how “HE” was doing?  How blatantly sexist of me!!  “SHE” was flying like a bat out of Unaweep Canyon and was well on her way to a "national class" half marathon performance.

Mile 11:  6:43 

The hills behind me—it is level-to-downhill from here to the finish line….and I know it.  I started thinking, “WOW, just maybe....just maybe?!?”. "I think I can....I think I can....I think I can...."

Mile 12:  6:39 

"Meanwhile, back at the ranch"—(and finish line)…the overall winner sprints to a stellar 1:21:08 finish as if she's run a hundred yard dash...a completely resounding victory befitting March 8th, "International Women's Day".

Mile 13:  6:29

I'm pulling out all the stops along mile 13 and am giving it everything I have left.  Emerging from the Dolores River Canyon toward the village of Gateway, I can see the adobe buildings near the finish line and I know I’m home free.  I am thrilled as I turn the final corner for the finish line.  I'm headed towards a significant PR—a record I’ve been working towards for 2 years.  I’m going to break 1:30 and then some in a half marathon!                                                             

Mile (13).1:  45 seconds                                      

FINISH TIME:  1:27:56—6:42 per mile pace.

                                                                            “YEAH!!!” 

Well, I’m still experiencing a “runner’s high” from The Better Half Marathon.  What a great weekend!!  I'm taking some rest days for now but already look forward to my next training run.  Time to set some new goals including: 

  • Running and finishing my first marathon on May 4th, the Colorado Marathon by Ft. Collins.
  • Hopefully attaining a qualifying time in that event to run in the Boston Marathon on April 20th, 2009.  This would be a dream-come-true for me and is a source of great motivation and inspiration.  I will need to finish the Colorado Marathon in less than 3 hours and 35 minutes (the standard based on my age and gender).  I'm feeling confident that I can achieve this.
  • Running in the NYC Marathon on November 2nd.  My finishing time in the Better Half Marathon provides me with “guaranteed entry” into that event.  This is highly coveted since some 80,000 applicants are turned away in the random lottery drawing (while some 40,000 are accepted).  Earning the right of "guaranteed entry" into the NYC Marathon is my sub 1:30 half marathon "prize".   
  • Maybe finishing within 4-5 minutes of that lady in red (Good luck on that one bro!!)

Hope you enjoyed the read!!

 KOB

 

*** (The "lady in red" is noted Colorado runner, Jeanne Hennessy.  She will indeed be competing in the U.S. Women's Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston on April 20th.  You can check out her "Athlete Bio" at the Olympic Trials website by going to link below): 

Jeanne Hennessy Bio at Olympic Trials web site 

I'm rooting for Jeanne!!! 

                                           Kevin & Nora following Kevin's run in the Dolores River 10K