Half-Marathon Fever Grips Me

 

Enough complaining about my sad preparation. The race is upon me. On Sunday I will run my first half-marathon since, oh, 2007? I reject all my negative thoughts and embrace the challenge. The Rose Bowl has been my training ground for over 20 years. I'll be on home turf.

My goal: break 2 hours and 30 minutes. 

Make that 2 hours and 45 minutes. I double-checked my times. There's no way I could hold the above pace for 13.1. That's a half-marathon fever error

Yet Another July 4th Run

A pleasant Independence Day to my fellow yanks. As in July 4 weekends past— 2007  2010   2015  2019 — I exercised today, this time at a Rose Bowl 5K. This one's been circled on the calendar since I signed up in March. My time today will be used in planning training runs for an upcoming marathon in November. Yes, I've signed up for the Surfer's Point Marathon out in Ventura. An ocean-front run on a flat course in low temperatures —I'm hoping. While thousands enjoy the LA Marathon, a thousand or less will run two loops to a chorus of breaking surf.

As for today, I slept poorly last night, nervous about the race. I'd trained to break 33 minutes, specifically a goal of 32:59. But I didn't want to leave my bed and the air conditioning. My wife was joining me today and we drove out to the fabled Rose Bowl in Pasadena. One thing about arising early for a run are the spectacular dawns. Alas, my windshield snap doesn't do the sky justice.

So no pre-race goodie bags, technical tee-shirts, and timing mat sensors located in the race bib. All the race volunteers wore pink shirts. A group of assisting ROTC students in mostly forest camo also wore pink shirts. Someone should tell them that pink is a terrible tactical color. Hopefully, its just a fad. 

A group of Arab students from USC stood in a knot laughing and joking as the national anthem played. Of course, the sound system was anemic and many of the surrounding Americans also laughed and joked and took selfies. But general applause erupted at the conclusion of the song. So maybe we'll go another year without replacing the Star-Spangled Banner with Cardi B's "Wap."

Started out fast and wanted to quit after fifty yards. Then I wanted to slide over to the far right hand side of the course and walk. I was breathing hard but not gasping and felt I could hold the pace. The temperature at 8:00 AM was nearing 80 degrees. I know every dip and bump and rise in the route around the Rose Bowl, so I was able to relax somewhat and focus on my chi running form. I felt slow. People were passing me. Past mile 2, I passed a few people, picking up speed on such downhills as existed. In the final stretch, a 28-year-old guy blew past me, but I managed to tie him at the finish line. 

A pleasing time of 31:51.

I waited for wife Joy to wrap up and it was off to breakfast. Now I'm happy I got up and happy I didn't slow down or walk and happy I raced today.