Half Marathon Number 11

     Finished Half Marathon Number 11 Today.  The first 9-10 miles were fantastic.  After that everything went figuratively downhill but unfortunately it was literally uphill.  

     It was the first race that I've ever done that started off with bagpipes.  It was neat to see and hear them getting warmed up with the sun still rising through the oak trees.  And then, they marched from the back of the starting line pack all the way to the starting line to kick off the race.  After the start they lined the sides of the course.  It was a nice change of pace.
     This particular race ran an out and back course along the river trail.  I was feeling good during the first half of the race.  I was running 4:15 and walking 1:00 and was keeping a nice pace.  I didn't particularly enjoy the stretch on top of the levee because it's nearly impossible to find a flat surface to run on which tends to aggravate my feet.  I made it to the turn around and half way mark at 1:27 so I began thinking that another sub 3 hour half marathon would be mine.  But it wasn't to be.  It was super warm today and by mile 9 I could really feel it.  Even though I was fueling and hydrating appropriately, my legs weren't having it.  People began to drop like flies.  The medical folks were tending various people at the aid stations or on the side of the course.  I didn't want to become one of them.  So at about mile 10, I began to do more walking than running.  Did I mention the way back on the course we were running upriver which is another way of saying uphill?  It was brutal for me.  It took me almost 50 minutes to finish the last 3 miles.   Not exactly the race I hoped to run but I finished.  With a time only 10 minutes slower than 2 weeks ago, I feel confident that I will be able to better my 1999 time sometime this year.  Right now,  I am just grateful that my body has allowed me to complete 11 half marathons in 8 months.