2008 National Half Marathon
March 29th, 2008I fell down on my way to the starting line- tripped while stepping on a sidewalk and splatted full-length on the ground. Free entertainment.
The long lines at the port-a-potties before the race may have contributed to the lines at port-a-potties along the race route.
I may have beaten last year’s time of 2:14:52. Results should eventually be posted here.
Some of the blisters are bigger and uglier than others. Sorry, no pictures.
Besides the usual post-race bagels, bananas, and oranges, they had giant soft pretzels. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Paul (the apostle, that is) reached a point in his life where he realized that he was soon to die and that he had made it- he was going to finish the race. I bet that happens to a lot of Christians near the end, a neat feature of imminent death. Similarly, there comes a point near the end of a race where one realizes one is going to make it.
Overheard near the beginning: Let’s cross the finish line together!
Overheard near the end: If you want to sprint now, go…
Both statements can be generous.
Fascinating the difference that encouragement makes. The highlights of the race were the people that made the most noise along the way: the man with the boom box and tambourine, the dance team and their more sophisticated sound equipment (I’m sorry their live band wasn’t playing when I passed), the people with bells or pots and wooden spoons, the people who stood outside their house in their pajamas and cheered us on, the volunteers and police officers who gave verbal encouragement…
Sometimes it works two ways. They cheer, somebody grins back or thanks them, and they cheer louder, or better yet, cheer you on by name if they can read it off of your number. It’s easier to run when you’re smiling because somebody’s cheering you.
Not to be completely positive. I smirked internally when an individual who had apparently jumped in to run with one group jumped back out again with about a mile to go. “Thanks, guys- you’re doing a great job- and you raised a ton of money.” Bet they never meet again. Not until next year, anyway!
Congratulations!
The website says your time was 2:13:44. That’s about a 5 second per mile improvement.
Hey, CJ, let’s have some race pictures — say, before and after?!
I fixed the results link.
Shannon had more success running the race than I did following it. I missed her at two locations and lost a metro card with $20 on it. Photos can be found here.
i love this! That you raced so well, what you wrote about it! And i love how you felt compelled to throw in that paragraph at the end; I laughed! I love it all!!
Are blisters always a part of marathons?
What time did this race begin?
Someone who can smirk internally while running a marathon….and at the end of the race, too….that is impressive
Blisters are always part of MY marathons/half marathons!
It was a 7am race in DC…it took us about 40 minutes to get there…which meant we got up VERY early…poor CJ!
Unfortunately internal smirking burns no calories, so I can do it with ease!
Your Little Sister’s Half Marathon Highlights:
-There was one long line at the P-a-Ps plus two shorter ones at the far end plus one older man on the long line shouting: The line is over HERE. We’ve been waiting here FIFTEEN MINUTES. (Think Black Friday.) It was worth his while, IMO, because there were no others on the half route, at least.
-I definitely did NOT beat your time and, in fact, by mile 12 or so, did not care in the least if I had a time.
-Along with the usual bananas, pretzels, and the like, they were serving pizza. I didn’t think that was a good choice.
-Overheard coming out of the U of R campus — actually addressed to us — “That’s the mayor up there! Go catch the mayor!”
-Addressed to us heading toward the finish: “There’s a guy gaining on you! Don’t let him catch you!”
-Overheard a few tenths from the end: “Atta boy, Dave! You got it! Hey, I see a smile there! You GO! You did it!” coupled with a police motorcycle and bullhorn: “Move to the right! Move to the right!” [...and then a minute later...] “And David X wins the Marathon!”
That guy was running twice as fast as I was.
[well, upon further reflection, not quite -- the marathon started 15 minutes before...and I'm sure he was at the front of the pack...]
-In the park, a bunch of fiddlers/various other instruments were performing and, later on, a band was playing the Rocky theme.
And, several large groups of cheering teens with jugs (of coins?) really helped. And Liesel’s dad saying “C’mon! Run faster! Even I could run faster than that!”
-There were a lot of dads with little children on the side of the road.
Not my children. 
-It was 82 degrees and muggy. There was no shade for the last two miles. I know, I was looking for it. Along the last stretch, many people were walking.
-Usually I say “OK, I’m getting tired. I’m not going to talk until we get to point X.” But then I do. By the last mile yesterday, there was dead silence.
Synopsis: It’s like labor. Toward the end: “This is terrible. I can’t believe I did this.”
Just after: “Well, I don’t know. I’m glad it’s over.”
A little later: “You know, I’m really glad I did that.”
A long rest later (but still within the first 24 hours): “I could have run faster. Now what should our plan be for the next one?”
The next day: “Hey, I saw Race X is coming up in October — what do you think?”
That’s fabulous! I enjoyed all that commentary…but you didn’t post your time? Never mind…I found it.
I would DEFINITELY say that time is fine for a first time….and fine for as hot as it was. Icky.
Kiki has stories about runners ordering the pizza themselves (deliver to the corner of ___ & ____.) Talk about pacing.
Yeah…this is very exciting! Congratulations!
Addendum: My blisters hadn’t healed by the time I ran the last trail race of the series last night but it felt SO great to “just” run four miles! And, I improved on my last time by 13 minutes, largely by not getting lost this time (and disqualified myself for the “Dora the Explorer” award in the bargain)! And, we got to hang around afterward eating pasta and drinking beer to celebrate! And I didn’t beat Jeremy but I beat his time from this course last time (when he left me to get miserably lost [sniff]). Woo-hoo!