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<span style="font-family:'Century Gothic';">I have been so anxious about this race and the training and all the crap going on in work plus the wedding and all that. I decided to start with the 3:40 group (an 8:25 pace) and go as far as I could and just see what I would do. Well, each corral was brought to the start line and held 3 minutes to allow space....no one thought about the fact that we would be standing on the chip activator mats for three minutes. So, boom, we can go but we started way behind and I guess the pacers were trying to make up time? Because the first five miles were something like 7:35, 7:40, 7:45, 7:56, 7:55----waaaaaay to fast for me to start especially since the hills were huge. At mile 6 my HR was pumping and staying between 185-190 which is high even for my regularly fast HR. I knew at this point that whether I finished the marathon or not, it would end in a death march and no BQ. It wasn't worth it to have a death march. The mental game for me is getting harder and harder. I get so anxious and then I don't have fun. I turned off at mile seven onto the half marathon course and decided I would just get a 1/2 PR, even if I was the only one who knew about it. My HR slowed so much once the weight of the whole thing was off my shoulders. I ran a great, though VERY Hilly 6.1 more miles. I enjoyed the scenery and the people and I actually talked to people which I never do in a race. These hills were not like the ones I trained on and my black toenail and blistered toetips speak to that loud and clear--- I guess I need bigger shoes if I am going to run real hills??? I could feel my legs getting tired at mile 12 and I knew I made the right choice to pull off. It would have been a looooong, hurty day</span> <span style="font-family:'Century Gothic';">otherwise <img alt="sad2.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad2.gif"></span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Century Gothic';">I actually think that had I intended to run the half and had more even pacing I could have done even better but....</span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Century Gothic';">PR: 1:47:11</span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Century Gothic';">I was the sixth overall finisher of the marathon on the computer for a few hours....until I was officially DQ'ed. I have never been a cheater before <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> The computer had my avg pace at 4:05/mile.... Ha! I had a great 1/2 marathon and I am definitely coming back next year to conquer this monster!!!! I will own this marathon next year....</span><br><br><span style="font-family:'Century Gothic';">As an aside, I got to meet some great PRTers and get inspired. Tithers is great and she worked so hard on the 1/2!!<img alt="banana.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif"> Roots is very inspirational and he just has a way of making you believe in yourself....</span>
