2010 Fiesta Bowl 1/2 Marathon Report

2:20:35 chip time
2:20:18 on the Garmin (and 13.28 miles on the Garmin -boo!)
Missed first overall by 1:06 and change.

Missed the PR by 11 seconds and averaged about 10:34 per mile which is what was planned. Also planned to finish strong and healthy. Success!

299?? Yep, I'm crazy!!

This was designed by Lauren and I to be a training run/Gallowalk with average miles in the 10:30 range. We kept it there and sort of gradually got faster as the miles ticked off. Each time we noticed the Garmin starting to swell (is that what she said?) we backed off to our planned speed.

Back home now and started to feel worse health-wise, so I headed over to the local urgent care and got a car full of meds. Hard to believe I could run a 1/2 marathon in the morning and have upper respiratory problems in the afternoon. My 3YO has been sick to his stomach and napping all day, so Mrs. G has had a really challenging day.

Ahhhh Runners World is here. What BS do you have for me this month? Can't wait to read your food guide you simps!!

The event was hosted by Runners Den, a local Phoenix running store, and RacePlace events did the timing and bib stuff. It was well organized and because its so small (1061 total 1/2 mary runners), getting there and around was a cinch. We congregated near the start, waited for the Star Spangled Banner --which I don't think they did??!? and we were off right on time. 5 minutes later, the 5K started but I never saw any of them. Water stations were staffed with plenty of friendly volunteers and gave out H2O and Gu drink and Gu Gingerbread at one point. Most of the race was spent in the same group and we only noticed the pace sets break up in the last mile or so. As for hills, what do we in Phoenix know about hills? There really aren't any to speak of, some gentle rises, but flat as a pancake mostly.

I will likely do this again next year. I really like the distance, the small field size, the organization, and the local feel of this race.