My Half

LOST · #1 10-31-2011, 05:43 PM

well.. let me try and write..lol First of all I would like to say everyone here is Awesome, and very inspirational to me.
We arrived in Daytona on Saturday checked into our room.. very nice. and about a mile from the track. so once we got checked in we went over to checkout the Bridge. yes the bridge ..The bridge I had to climb over Twice.. OY!! I gotta tell ya, it scared me more the last time I was here.. after doing the 15K in Clermont this didnt seem so big, because I think that coarse was way more challenging. anyways we got some pictures and then went over to the track to checkout the expo. it was crowded everyone picking up there packets.. we had ours delivered to our room...came with the package deal getting the room and all.
ok so we went to dinner had some whole wheat pasts and some bread.. carbed up some more... then we went to try and get some sleep.. tossed and turned all nite...normal!! was up early and ready to go
the race started at 6:30 AM about 5:30 we headed out. as we drove you could see that the whole track was lite up...very cool and there was a parade of cars going to the same place.. and they had this down to a sience...everything went off without a hitch.. very well organized... so we drive right into the infield to park.. now ya gotta remember that the whole place is lite up and...well it was a WOW time for sure.. I believe there were 855 runners. and I think we all got there at the same time....we walked around the track and checked things out...very cool!!
Let me mention the weather.. it was a little cool.. somewhere in the lower 60's I believe but there was a 10 mph wind blowing. I thought this is perfect.. and it turned to be...for me.
so we all get lined up ready to go and the count down started 4..3...2...BOOM fireworks went off at the start line...WOW!! now my plan was keep it at a nice 11 pace.. I only had one goal....to finish thats all I wanted.. oh and way in the back I was wanting 2 hours and 30 min's but didnt really care... so I stuck to my plan.. thats what I love about long runs you have lots of time to make adjustments. so here we are running around the Daytona Speedway Track.. my god that alone was so cool... I really am proud of myself for staying focused on keeping my planned pace.... I really felt great.. so we get about five miles into it and here comes the leaders... on there way back...goodlord!!! they were cruizing. it was nice to see the elite run.. what form they had I think thats one thing I like about turn arounds.. so anyways getting into mile six here comes the bridge... alot of people walking.. I said to myself.. noway.. I am gonna stick to my pace... well we did slow alittle twords the top but we did ok because I think we made up for it on the down side. ok so after putting the bridge behind me we continued to the east.. and here comes one of the coolest parts of the run... there was a section we ran on the boardwalk along the ocean.. it was like 7:45 AM an let me say.. it was an awesome site with the sun just up off the water. there was a girl there up on the park bench giving everyone a high 5 and cheering us on... so cool.. ok well we made the turn around, now its back twords the track. thats another thing I like about a out and back.. you get to see how many are behind you...lol
well it wasnt long and we were at the bridge again.. I was still maintaining my pace.. and feeling really good so we went with the same plan that worked on the way over and before I knew it we were over it... ok now I wasnt to worried about things... I was looking for the ten mile marker.. when I get there its only a 5k from there right?? Hell Ive done lots of them..hehehe I love out smarting my brain.. so we had to take a few side roads off the beaten path ..that was nice.. kinda broke it up alittle.. and then I made the corner and could see the track.. thats when my pace started picking up.. oh I never told ya.. when I got to the half way mark I knoew I was way ahead of my planed time of 2.30 and that was also in my mind.. and here we come up to the track.. new I am running along side of this girl and she is also picking up the pace. she got a little ahead of me as we turned the corner and wen into the track area under the bleachers.. and then onto the track.. I yelled LETS DO THIS and we both were side by side now running down the track heading for the finish line just crossed over the 13 mile marker and we were doing great... and as we entered the area to the finish line she faded behind me.. I was just lookin at the clock and running just as fast as I could... I think my time was 2.20 16 or something like that.. I could not believe it... and I felt really good.. even the wife said.. you arent even sweating that bad...lol.. she always worries.. because there has been a few times I crossed the line and just was totally wasted..lol but not today.. I think I prepared and ate right and just took time to do it right. anyways.. I think I placed like 36 in my age group.. wasnt really caring about that. I am now looking at two other halfs coming up that I might do..lol.. in two weeks I am in a 10k in lake land.. the Lake to Lake challenge. I want to do it in under 1 hour... that will be my goal for that... so there ya go. Im not that good at this writing stuff.. hope you can figure out what I wrote.. LOL ROCK ON!!!!!

middie marathon · #2 10-31-2011, 06:29 PM

as I'm reading I'm cheering you on at my desk! :P Great Job!! Awesome, keep running keep writing

CatScratchfever · #3 10-31-2011, 06:34 PM

Awesome re-cap, LOST! Felt like I was running right along side of you. Hold your head high, sounds like a perfect race experience all around! Stay strong, brother, keep on rockin'!

run away joe · #4 10-31-2011, 08:38 PM

Felt like i was right there! great running Lost. like the boardwalk and high fiving girl part. its amazing how different runners have different parts of the race they like best. some people probably didnt even see her and for others that was the best part. proud of you lost. good job

LOST · #5 10-31-2011, 11:41 PM

Thanks everyone..

Gerald84 · #6 11-02-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LOST

well.. let me try and write..lol First of all I would like to say everyone here is Awesome, and very inspirational to me.
We arrived in Daytona on Saturday checked into our room.. very nice. and about a mile from the track. so once we got checked in we went over to checkout the Bridge. yes the bridge ..The bridge I had to climb over Twice.. OY!! I gotta tell ya, it scared me more the last time I was here.. after doing the 15K in Clermont this didnt seem so big, because I think that coarse was way more challenging. anyways we got some pictures and then went over to the track to checkout the expo. it was crowded everyone picking up there packets.. we had ours delivered to our room...came with the package deal getting the room and all.
ok so we went to dinner had some whole wheat pasts and some bread.. carbed up some more... then we went to try and get some sleep.. tossed and turned all nite...normal!! was up early and ready to go
the race started at 6:30 AM about 5:30 we headed out. as we drove you could see that the whole track was lite up...very cool and there was a parade of cars going to the same place.. and they had this down to a sience...everything went off without a hitch.. very well organized... so we drive right into the infield to park.. now ya gotta remember that the whole place is lite up and...well it was a WOW time for sure.. I believe there were 855 runners. and I think we all got there at the same time....we walked around the track and checked things out...very cool!!
Let me mention the weather.. it was a little cool.. somewhere in the lower 60's I believe but there was a 10 mph wind blowing. I thought this is perfect.. and it turned to be...for me.
so we all get lined up ready to go and the count down started 4..3...2...BOOM fireworks went off at the start line...WOW!! now my plan was keep it at a nice 11 pace.. I only had one goal....to finish thats all I wanted.. oh and way in the back I was wanting 2 hours and 30 min's but didnt really care... so I stuck to my plan.. thats what I love about long runs you have lots of time to make adjustments. so here we are running around the Daytona Speedway Track.. my god that alone was so cool... I really am proud of myself for staying focused on keeping my planned pace.... I really felt great.. so we get about five miles into it and here comes the leaders... on there way back...goodlord!!! they were cruizing. it was nice to see the elite run.. what form they had I think thats one thing I like about turn arounds.. so anyways getting into mile six here comes the bridge... alot of people walking.. I said to myself.. noway.. I am gonna stick to my pace... well we did slow alittle twords the top but we did ok because I think we made up for it on the down side. ok so after putting the bridge behind me we continued to the east.. and here comes one of the coolest parts of the run... there was a section we ran on the boardwalk along the ocean.. it was like 7:45 AM an let me say.. it was an awesome site with the sun just up off the water. there was a girl there up on the park bench giving everyone a high 5 and cheering us on... so cool.. ok well we made the turn around, now its back twords the track. thats another thing I like about a out and back.. you get to see how many are behind you...lol
well it wasnt long and we were at the bridge again.. I was still maintaining my pace.. and feeling really good so we went with the same plan that worked on the way over and before I knew it we were over it... ok now I wasnt to worried about things... I was looking for the ten mile marker.. when I get there its only a 5k from there right?? Hell Ive done lots of them..hehehe I love out smarting my brain.. so we had to take a few side roads off the beaten path ..that was nice.. kinda broke it up alittle.. and then I made the corner and could see the track.. thats when my pace started picking up.. oh I never told ya.. when I got to the half way mark I knoew I was way ahead of my planed time of 2.30 and that was also in my mind.. and here we come up to the track.. new I am running along side of this girl and she is also picking up the pace. she got a little ahead of me as we turned the corner and wen into the track area under the bleachers.. and then onto the track.. I yelled LETS DO THIS and we both were side by side now running down the track heading for the finish line just crossed over the 13 mile marker and we were doing great... and as we entered the area to the finish line she faded behind me.. I was just lookin at the clock and running just as fast as I could... I think my time was 2.20 16 or something like that.. I could not believe it... and I felt really good.. even the wife said.. you arent even sweating that bad...lol.. she always worries.. because there has been a few times I crossed the line and just was totally wasted..lol but not today.. I think I prepared and ate right and just took time to do it right. anyways.. I think I placed like 36 in my age group.. wasnt really caring about that. I am now looking at two other halfs coming up that I might do..lol.. in two weeks I am in a 10k in lake land.. the Lake to Lake challenge. I want to do it in under 1 hour... that will be my goal for that... so there ya go. Im not that good at this writing stuff.. hope you can figure out what I wrote.. LOL ROCK ON!!!!!

Lost,
Great account, I like to read various race experiences and this is a good one! I like how you mentioned seeing the elite runners, it is amazing to see them in the same race your in.
Thanks!!!

cdreisbach · #7 11-02-2011, 01:44 PM

It sounded very exciting!! Now for the next half

I am hoping to get back to running long distance in the next year and I would love to run the martian invasion half in the spring if my knee hold out! Maybe I will see some of the RR gang there