RedHookZoo and run...

During what must have been a week moment at Everyday Athlete, I agreed with wife to run the Super Jock'n Jill half-marathon on LaborDay. I think I really only wanted the cool blue shirt, but I agreed to be signed up as well. Some of you remeber me running a half-marathon in July, only to be beaten by the wife. This time it should be different!

Over the next weeks, wife was training hard. She joined a runner's group, did speed work-outs in midweek, and distance on the weekends. Me? I was tied up digging up the yard - and enjoying the weather. I did not get one mile's training in prior to this "event".

The morning of the event, we also had a silent argument of who was to take the dog out for a walk before we left for the early start. I guess I "won" since I decided to stay in bed for another hour. Hence, wife was like a bee when we finally left to drive over to the start.

It was early, way too early for my taste, but it was later than the (stupid) 7AM start for the last race. We got there w/o problems, parked, and walked over to the start area.

I had been over (for hours) the day and evening prior at a neighbor's Labor Day party. It was fun, and a lot of new faces. Sure, a few beers, but nothing excessive. I also remembered to gulp down some serious amounts of water before going to bed. Despite the early morning, I felt sort of great.

The gun went off and the crowds were on their way. Tried to stay with wife but realized that I had a slightly faster pace this morning. Took mark a a pair running together. They seemed to be keeping a pace that I liked and decided to follow them, only to pass them after appr. 3 miles. At four miles, my pace was still just over 7 minute miles - way too fast. But it felt good so I kept it up.

At six, there was a long and devilish uphill into Bothell, it did good to slow down my pace. I knew how long this race was to be (13 and some miles), but I only had a faint idea of the actual course. After looping through Bothell, we did a number of (unnecessary) loops at the U of W, Bothell Campus. More hills! There's nothing that can kill a runner's mood as fast as "running in circles". Once down FINALLY, on the trail again, I had a very good hunch of how much I had left to run. At the ten mile sign, I stopped to walk a little and fight with opening of the two Clif Gel packages I had been using as "dumbells". I almost expected wife to catch up to me here. She had trained and was in very good shape.

A guy (father) with twins in a runner's stroller had passed me earlier. I was duly impressed over how he could drag his kids around - and keep up such good speed (as well as manage the uphills). Well, out on the flats again he was forced to slow down and I passed him easily. In fact, I passed quite a few people that had sort of glided past me earlier. Looking for the eleven mile sign, but it was nowhere to be seen. Darn, I really needed a time mark. Continue running and suddenly there is the twelve mile sign. OK, only a little more than a mile left. This feels good...

To my big surpise - again - the finish line comes earlier than expected. I do not pass any 13 mile mark as I had anticipated. The race is only 12.89 miles (20.74 km) which in my book is no "full" half-marathon. Sort of a few yards short...

But, checking the time, I pass the line at 1h48m17s. I had not seen wife passing me, could it be that I was really ahead of her all the time. Grab a bottle of water and return quickly to the finish area. As I look for her I see my old colleague Tomas just racing in to the finish line. I beat him? He has trained a lot (at least accoridng to his wife). Just as he passes, I hear my name called out and wife is sitting on the grass, only to point out that my white running shirt is blood stained. I had no idea, but it seems like the synthetic shirt has rubbed my nipples so they started bleeding. Does not hurt, but the bloodspots are more like big splashes. Ok, that was both the first and last time I run in a "non-cotton" shirt.

We moose around in the area, eat some goodies, and look for Tomas and his wife. Meet up with them, chat for a while and enjoy the wonderful weather and setting. Had originally planned to go in to Redhook and have a few beers (rehydrate) but end up heading home for a shower and some rest. All in all a great day (I beat both wife and Tomas...) :-)