KC Hospital Hill Half-Marathon *New PR

After driving the hilly course the day before and waking up to heavy winds the morning of the race, I really wasn't expecting to come away with a PR. I went out fast, first mile was 6:18. We hit a long steep hill at mile 2 that was a rude awakening of what laid ahead. I continued to press hard and finally got settled in around mile 4. I hit the 10k marker in 43min. The headwinds were brutal all the way out South, through mile 7. I got into a nice rhythm and made up some ground down Brookside and knew I had a chance to PR. I had spent the majority of the race on the heals of another runner, always trying to match his speed, sometimes running shoulder to shoulder. As we hit Broadway and started to pick off defeated warriors one by one, I finally passed my unknown competitor. This is where all the late hills on my long runs really paid off. I decided to hold my final kick till after the the steep ascent at Wyandotte Street. However, the hill was steep but shorter than I anticipated and I flew right up it. If I hadn't hesitated I think I would've run sub1:30. I ran the last mile all-out in 6:10, and nearly trampled a person in my path. Final result, 1:31.23 / 6:59 pace overall. At the end of the race the runner whose back I had stared at for over 10 miles, gave me a smirk of complete exhaustion, we bumped fists, no words were spoken, only a slight acknowledgment for the shared brotherhood of pain and determination. It was an exciting finish for such a tough course.

I waited with Nate for Angie and Heather to cross the line. While we waited a girl jumped down from a large concrete planter she was sitting on after finishing the 10k race. When she landed she snapped her leg, a severe stress fracture on the front of her shin. She let out a blood curdling scream and everyone dashed to get the paramedics. Whoa, talk about a bad way to end a race. OUCH!!