The saying around the 3M Half Marathon is that if you don't run a new personal record (PR) on this overall downhill course, you are not trying. I'm not sure that's always true, though I will acknowledge that my half marathon PRs have progressed over the years at this race. I guess it's one reason it is a favorite and will remain so, even if the goody bags were a little short on swag this year.
A non-runner friend asked me a few days ago when I really began to sink my teeth into running. I gave only an estimate: 5 or 6 years ago. However, the 3M is my landmark and upon reviewing my history with this race I found I first ran it in 2004. This means that today's race (1-24-2010) marks my 6th anniversary of getting more serious not only about running, but also about my health and fitness. That race back in 2004 was my first try at the 13.1 mile distance. Previously I had run a few 10Ks and had even endured a 10 mile race in Mexico (I finished dead last). But running 13.1 was a breakthrough for me. I remember in those days I was logging almost all my miles going round and round Woodlawn Lake. On my final long run before my first 3M a couple of young men stopped me and asked how long I was running. They had gotten dizzy watching my loops and were amazed when I told them I was that night running 12 miles. It felt good to get that reaction as it was pretty much the first time anyone except myself paid any attention to what I was doing.
I ran that first 3M Half in 2 hours 18 minutes 7 seconds and I felt pretty darned good about it. It took only a couple of days before I commited to train for the San Antonio Marathon the following November. Now it has been 6 years, including 6 marathons, 5 half marathons, a couple of ultra-marthons and numerous 10Ks and a few odd 10 milers. I enumerate these accomplishments primarily so I can keep track of them for myself. My race history is not a competition with anyone except myself. However, I do offer it as an example of what I believe almost anyone can achieve. Yes, I know some suffer with bad knees, or other debilities which prevent running as their principal means of exercise and I also acknowledge that some of you just don't like running. Nevertheless I'll continue to nag you to ride a bike, swim laps, get involved in Yoga. If we are promoting an hour of play per day for our nation's children, we adults ought to at least get active for 45 minutes per day, or maybe an hour every other day. Let's not continue our sedentary ways, nor should we be anything but the best role models for the young. Let's wake up and exercise!
Holy smokes! All that and I still haven't told you my finish time for the 2010 3M Half Marathon. It was all in all a good day for running. A little breezy such that everyone's time was both impeded and aided by the wind. I cursed it when it cut through my racing shirt at the starting line and I groaned when they delayed the start of the race by almost an hour in order to allow the course maintenance people to re-erect some blown down traffic barriers. We all lowered our heads into the occasional head wind and we all quickened our step when the wind blew at our backs. In the end, I attribute my success to running a steady pace, not getting ahead of myself at the start. This took a late race fade out of the picture and I kicked across the finish line in 2:08:51. It feels oh so good!
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