FULL Colorado weekend – group hike on Saturday, half marathon on Sunday.

Not a lotta consistent training this month but a goal is a goal – one race a month (minimum) until completing a marathon in 2013. Set my alarm for 5a.m. – up and out for my 2^nd half marathon of the year.

Downed my morning oatmeal & honey, walked Ro & set the GPS for Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins – an hour fifteen north of my Louisville home.  (Last minute) bib pickup from 7-8am, directly before our half marathon start at 830am.

After another snowy week, completely lucked out with sunshine & 50 degree race day temps.  Warm enough to run in shorts & a long-sleeved dry wick.  Wore my Red Sox’s cap – supporting victims & families of Monday’s Boston Marathon bombing.

For religious reasons, I rarely enter races on Sunday – so today’s run, the 1^st in Colorado after Monday’s bombings, was certainly unique.  Started off with 26.2 seconds of silence, then moments later saw our runner pack wave forward (didn’t hear a gun start – guess I was that far back :().

HILLS – have never run so many hills in all my life.  However after adjusting mentally, I found today’s course to be an advantage.  Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University so our field was crowded with college runners.  One key advantage for us older folks – we’re stronger mentally & the young guns can’t run hills.  Running UPHILL, they’d drop down to a walk.  Running DOWNHILL however, they’d not only catch me but fly right past me.  Actually started to look forward to the next monster mountain ahead – just so I could pick off another young gun again 🙂  Additionally, volunteers flooded the hill tops and cheered each successful runner’s climb.  Mighty nice.

Didn’t stop for water until mile 10 & then again at 12 miles.

Finish line ahead but couldn’t believe the ticker – under 2 hours, my goal time.  WOW!  Seriously?  and with sooo many hills?  Cut more than 5 minutes from last month’s Moab finish.  Top 25%.  Crazy nice surprise.

2 (maybe 3) races to go before Alaska.  1000% gonna do this thing!

OVERALL RESULTS HORSETOOTH HALF MARATHON

Results courtesy of Runlimited Timing Results on runlimitedfc.com & active.com

 

Place     Div/Tot         No.        Name           Nettime

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451       28/48            1006     K R Haga    1:59:41