I was so nervous to start this race. I started running with a friend of a friend, and we stayed together for about 6 miles. The start of the half is a bit hard because that first big hill is only about a mile in. mile 1 13:36
mile 2 14:21(this is the big hill)
mile 3 13:10
mile 4 13:30
mile 5 12:51
mile 6 13:22(I started running by myself after this mile)
mile 7 12:37
mile 8 12:29
mile 9 12:00
mile 10 11:37(5k pace)
mile 11 11:59
mile 12 13:11(rolling hills here slowed me down a bit)
mile 13 13:34(potty stop, more than a little irritating when you are that close to finishing)
mile .1 I'm not sure, I forgot to stop my watch but my daughter was running with me and we were doing a decent pace to finish. Overall I am extremely pleased with this race. I want somewhere between 2:50 and 3:03, getting the bottom of the goal is great. In 4 weeks I went from not running to this. I am excited. I have decided that my goal for Portland marathon will be 4:59:59. Emphasis on that four. I have never been faster than a 5:36, and I really want to get to the four area and I think if I can keep up the training I can do it. Oh side note, I had a blast at the race watching all those fast running blog jerseys start to pass me at mile 10. It was fun to see them going so fast. I still have no aspirations to be that fast but definitely want to start moving closer to the from and finish half marathons well before the marathoners start coming through. Oh on a side note, Once the police came through with the first marathoner, I made sure I stayed to the right where the officer told me to go to stay out of they way, no dodging around me needed :) The extra distance was doing the kids race with my daughter, they loved the race and especially the clowns with the water.
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