Monday, November 12, 2012

Fort Worth Half Marathon


We always remember our highs and are lows.  The Fort Worth Half Marathon will always be remembered as a low.  I picked out this half because it fit right in my Houston Marathon training schedule for a pace run.   A fast and flat course which is an out and back on the Trinity Trails. 

The run started promising, I went out a little too fast, but backed it down and focused on my pace.   Apparently, I was so focused on my pace, that I ran past the turnaround point.  I think I was hoping on a volunteer to let me know or very obvious signage.    Thanks to two guys running back that I had chatted with at the start to yell at me to turn around, I would have ran a little longer in the wrong direction.   These guys had also missed the sign.

One I got back on the course, I had to shut down my pace in order to survive the run.  I mentally got frustrated and it was tough to continue to push myself.  At mile 13.2 my body quit on me and it was a brutal run to the finish.  My pace slowed to 11:30 miles.     I ended up finishing with 14.77 miles with a 9:05 pace.    Officially, I had a 10:16 pace for the Half Marathon.

I will need to regroup mentally in my training.   I will never forget this mistake.