Robbie-T @ Marden Half Marathon

[Robbie-T]

$15 bucks for a half, why not eh!!

It has been since 2007 since I ran a half marathon, and I've been wanting to do one again for a while now. The lead up to this race wasn't ideal at all.
I've been delivering mail all week through some pretty terrible weather (rain and snow) and my legs were getting a work out, if this race was on Sunday instead that would give my legs at least a day off to recover but oh well. However worst of all was the ice storm Friday, when I got home from work the power was out, it went out about 1pm Friday. Then I had to break into my house because I didn't bring a house key with me because I just generally use the garage remote to enter through the garage. The power was out for the rest of the day, all day Saturday and didn't come on until about 3am Sunday (about 34 hours). We had a fire going in the fire place to keep a bit of warmth in the house, but Mommy wasn't too comfortable leaving it unattended through the night so I slept on the couch to be close to it. The boys had swimming lessons Saturday, and Mommy would be on her own to get all three there and ready. I tried to make sure they would be OK before I left, I considered not bothering with the race for these reasons and the weather was still terrible out too. She convinced me they would be fine, just to hurry back when I was finished.
So I took off got to the race just in time to get my kit, get changed, hit the potty again and try to get in a few minutes of warm up in. Took care of all that and started my warm up, decided to put on another shirt on cause the wind was very chilly and it was still raining. Then headed off to the starting line.

My goal was to attempt 1:22, I thought that was realistic enough, but the weather wasn't on my side, never mind the hills that I didn't even know about yet. The course description said flat to moderate hills, I don't remember being on any flat sections, only ups and downs, some of them pretty steep, like butt burning steep.

So off we go, and everyone wants to sprint, woe back boys.... So after all that settled down, I was in 5th, I thought with this wind I better catch that group and run with them. By the time I got to the group it was already strung out pretty far apart, by 2k I was in 3rd and chasing the first place girl, the first place guy was making ground fast. So I kept her close and didn't let her get any further away from me, I thought eventually I would catch her. The wind, rain and hills on the way out was pretty brutal, I was feeling strong and staying about 50-100m back from her.

5k - 20:08

At 8k I was making ground on her, I kept with it, caught her and motored on by her quickly and she didn't put up a fight or try to hang on at all. (Probably because it was just a training run for her lol)

10k - 40:21

At the turn around I was happy, I assumed it would be nicer on the way back with the wind and downhill, but seems like there where just as many hills on the way back (funny how that works) and the wind was more coming from the side.

No way I'm going to catch first place unless he blows up, but I keep pushing just staying on the good side of my red line. On the way back I was passing runners coming the other way, so many of them where friendly and congratulating me, I tried to wave and smile back as much as I could.

15k - 1:00:25

Then I caught up the the 10k pack on their way back, they weren't as friendly, mostly I was able to stay clear of them as I flew by them, we had the entire road for the race, but I couldn't tell where the first place guy was any more so I lost that carrot for motivation.

20k - 1:20:09 - fairly even splits, kind of surprised

2k left I can't tell how far the girl is behind me, but before I ran into the 10k group I was far ahead of her. I kept pushing as hard as I could, for the last 500m or so, maybe less, we were on very soft sandy trail, kind of annoying, through a fence and through the finish!!

2nd place overall - officially 1:24:25 that is a one second PB over my last official half marathon in 2007. I think I ran a faster half during Around the Bay but that's not official.

Had a great lunch there, wraps, cookies and other goodies. Picked up my award and headed home to play settler again.

results - http://www.guelphvictors.ca/mar13.htm
news story - http://www.guelphmercury.com/sports/local/article/918267--marden-half-marathon-just-training-for-winners

[Doonst]

Congrats buddy on great podium placement! A one second PB after all that- that's just hilarious!

[ratherawkward]

Outstanding result, especially given the circumstances!

[Double Bellybuster]

Terrific stuff, nice to see your blur in action!

[BJH]

Robbie-T is still running PBs! Way to go!

[ian]

Small PBs are the best kind: all the thrill of a new accomplishment without the subsequent letdown of wondering if it was the last one. When you're ready for the latter, find a flat race in the fall and I'll call dibs on 1:21. Is all this running building to a spring marathon?

[trixiee]

Small PBs are the best kind: all the thrill of a new accomplishment without the subsequent letdown of wondering if it was the last one. When you're ready for the latter, find a flat race in the fall and I'll call dibs on 1:21. Is all this running building to a spring marathon?

Trot to the Beach is still happening....

Congrats Robbie T!

[AjaxRunner]

Awesome stuff!

[Robbie-T]

Small PBs are the best kind: all the thrill of a new accomplishment without the subsequent letdown of wondering if it was the last one. When you're ready for the latter, find a flat race in the fall and I'll call dibs on 1:21. Is all this running building to a spring marathon?

Thanks, No marathons planned for anytime soon.

[gnu]

Congrats again

It was a hilly course for sure, and the weather was certainly less than ideal. It never occurred to me that the halfers would catch up to the 10K - yikes. If it makes you feel any better, I caught up to the end of the kids' race on that trail. I am happy to say I managed to pass a few

[5km]

Congratulations. Well done!

[Ken B]

As usual this was an excellent report and a great result. Thanks for the report. I always enjoy your race report. Have a great summer.

[barebuns1]

Congrats on your pb. Imagine what you could run on something flat like in Ottawa. Great race report.

[Robinandamelia]

Congrats on a great race and PB!!