A Blast at the Austin Half

It is so exciting to set a PR in a half marathon. And imagine doing this in Austin, because most of us know that Austin is pretty darn hilly. Besides that, I did not really train for this race. I love that last statement. We often use it when we need an excuse for why we did so poorly or when, despite our great results, we claim we should have done better. Well, neither is true for me this time around, although I've used it quite often for those very reasons. This time I was running my fastest. I mean, let me tell you something, I was running hard and I enjoyed every bleeding moment of it.

I aged one more year this past weekend and it felt good to know I could still set a PR. I have been losing confidence in my speed lately. I don't know what it is exactly, but my lungs have been suffering during my runs over the last three weeks. That sensation of running a 7 min. mile then looking down at your Garmin to sheer, unrelenting disappointment of an 8:30 pace instead has been haunting me since late January. I'm not sure what it is, but now I'm convinced it's not because I'm getting older.

Anyway, back to the fun of the half marathon. One side note, I met Alan Culpepper twice last weekend in two different cities. He was at the Luke's Locker BGO 5k on Saturday morning and spoke pretty honestly about his running career and balancing the rest of life. He seemed like a pretty nice guy. I even got a photo with him and one of our fast running darlings. Just when I thought I was looking thin I had to go and stand next to this guy. So couple buddies and me headed down to Austin at about mid day on Saturday. It rained the entire trip and we were prayerful that Sunday would be very opposite.

When we got to town we went straight to the Expo (after a quick stop for those famous Jimmy John's sandwiches). I was able to get my goodie bag right away because the lines were pretty short. What I failed to do was bring in my personal chip so I could verify it. When I ran (really I walked) back to the car and then back to the Expo who did I run into but Alan Culpepper, again. With all the confidence of a fast runner I walked right up to him and said, "Hey Alan, remember me?". He goes, "Hey man, what are you doing here? I just saw you in Dallas. Are you stalking me?" The entire time with the biggest smile on his face. We shared a laugh and I told him that we drove down and that we've been here for about 30 minutes or so. He laughed again and said, "man I should have rode down with you guys. We flew down and I'm just getting here. We sat on the tarmac forever in Dallas." I replied, "Oh wow the hardships of being with Nike, huh?". Then we both laughed again.

All that to say he just acted like one of the guys at the morning Park Cities runs. Just a normal, albeit fast, guy. Here's a guy who's won the U.S. Olympic Trials marathon in '04, you see him in running magazines all the time and yet he's very down to earth. It was kool meeting him.

Well, everything had been going well for me this weekend. I met an Olympic runner, I also won a new Ipod Nano at the BGO event. All this on my birthday weekend. It was certain. I was sure to run a great race on Sunday.

Sunday morning was shaping up perfectly. The temperature started in the mid 40s, no wind and absolutely no humidity. I lined up at the start thinking, "this is a great day to run your hardest." After the National Anthem, we took off. I started out a little fast for me, but it still felt good. I knew however, that I would have to run faster than this to set a PR. Of course it took me til the end of mile 2 to really get started. Once that came I never let up. While my trusty Oakley Thump Pro shades were blasting out my favorite mp3 songs, I started thinking to myself about how I might perform. Even though I realized that everyone who came down with me was faster than me, I knew that if I could finish under 1:50 I would be in the 1:40s - genius conclusion, I know. But, if you can say, "Yeah, I had a 1:49", most people here 1:40 and are ultra impressed. So, that was my goal, to be able to impress everyone with a 1:49 finish. Most of the time during the race I really thought I would make it. I ran very strong, kept my pace at the water stations and even managed the hills with patience and determination.

In fact, I was almost suicidal with my effort. You know those days. Those rare times when you don't have to save your body for anything else. I was just free to run harder and faster, just daring injury and exhaustion. Kinda like a 5k race. It was pure bliss. My feet started hurting a bit, reminiscent of my long gone plantar fasciitis. My solution - simply run faster, so my arms were pumping pretty purposefully as I raised up more on my toes. I felt so Kenyan.

My pace was so strong that when I got to mile 7, knowing I had 6 more miles to go I was still feeling very confident. By mile 9 I started feeling the heat of not doing a better job with my math earlier. I was crossing mile 10 when I realized that I would have to run the next 3.1 miles in under 24 minutes. If all I was doing was a 5k that day, it would have been a cinch. But in this case, I was concerned because of those pesky 10 miles I had just finished. The fun part was when I said to myself, "hell, go for it, anything can happen".

All was going well, then came mile 12 at 15th street. "Who put a road in the middle of this freaking mountain." I don't know if my statement was audible and I seriously doubt I used such polite speech. And then those other two little, steep "tease me" hills near the end sent me for a loop. But, that finish. All of you who were there, you know how sweet that finish was. Just about as down hill as you can get - I leaned forward and let gravity take over. A hard left turn into the finisher chute at full steam to a strong 1:51 finish. Oh I loved it - a 4 minute PR. I'll take it. I know I've got somethin' faster in me, but I'll always take a PR no matter how slight.

All my buddies did so well, too. I think they all set a personal best. You couldn't ask for a more perfect setting and my friends took complete advantage of it. Congrats to all of them.

I'm coaching a quick beat group this Saturday. I feel strong and I feel fast - they're in trouble.

Never, never stop running.