Minneapolis Half Marathon

Yesterday, I tagged along with my friends Ben and Mim on their half-marathon.  I had tried to register, but it was full, so I ran along with them and just didn't get a medal or a shirt for my troubles.  It was supposed to thunderstorm, but it ended up being a sunny day, with rain clouds making a brief appearance off in the distance.  It was pleasant running without worrying about my time.  I've entered races before where I was "just admiring the scenery" or "running with friends," but the second that gun goes off, moderation is out of the question.  This time, not having a chip time to worry about, I was able to relax and enjoy the run; not that I don't enjoy racing, but it's a different kind of enjoyment.  I wouldn't say racing is fun, but it's extremely rewarding, whereas yesterday was actually fun.  I did feel a little weird not having a race number, and that will probably be the only time I do that.  It feels a bit too much like stealing.  Then again, 100 bucks for a half-marathon is robbery as well.

Workout Details

You can see in the workout details that the distance is actually 15 miles.  I was feeling pretty good after 12 miles at a relaxed pace, so I broke off from the race and ran 3 miles on my own and met back up with them at the finish line.  You'll also notice that the 2nd mile was quicker than the rest.  That was because about a mile into the race, I realized I really had to pee.  I didn't want to hold Ben and Mim up, so they went on ahead and I had to play catchup.  It was worth it though; I was far more relaxed afterward.  I ended up with 15 miles in about 2 hours and 30 minutes, but the goal of this workout wasn't speed, so I'm very happy.  It was about spending time with friends and about getting some mileage in.  If anything, keeping my pace a bit slower was very beneficial.  I was able to get 15 miles in without putting undue impact on my legs.

One thing that was pretty cool was that this was an out and back race. It's the first time I've run a race like that, and while normally I prefer circuits, it was fun to watch the race leader fly by with a police motorcycle in front of him.  I overheard that he finished in 1:14, but I haven't bothered to double check.  It was kind of fun being able to cheer the leaders on as they went by.  The leading woman also got a bunch of cheers, especially from the ladies, as she went by.  All in all, it's a race I will consider actually entering next year, though my primary race for June will be Grandma's.