Second year in a row with this dilemma of having two great races within six days of each other. I gave it my all at the Tunnel Marathon on Sunday, so there is no way that I can be fast today. Last year I did run this race hard on tired legs and it was not great fun. I will take it easy today and just enjoy the event. I will go sub 2 hours, but not sub 1:50. 1:58 sounds good to me. Jared bailed at the last minute but Tammy is here and she has the same time goal. It will be fun to run with her. We have a long history. In fact I coached her a little for her first race which was so long ago that she wore a cassette walkman while running it.
It is 7AM and cool and grey with no wind. The clouds will burn off later, but not until after the race. Ideal running conditions. I have not run a half marathon since this race last year.
Start - I find Tammy just before the start and we cross the start line together. Gradual uphill with turns to get things going. Crowded but we are at a good pace.
Mile 2 - On the Eastside paved trail. First water stop is overwhelmed, but I get a cup without much wait. The trail is just a little narrow for this race. It can hold 4 across and there are a lot of runners at this pace. We work our way around some, and others pass us. It is nicer when we have some room in front of us.
Mile 3 - Steady 8:50 per mile pace. It is a little faster than I had planned. Tammy is feeling good and I convince her to relax and hold back for now. I assume that she will be able to beat 2 hours but that it could be a struggle.
Mile 5 - Now on the Chehalis Western Trail where I run often. Very familiar territory and a gradual downhill. Dawn Schuler sighting.
Mile 7 - Feeling hungry right when Tammy offers me a small cookie. My legs feel tired and tight off and on. We are still holding an even pace. We are on a long straight section of country road, maybe 36th street. I hear a small "ping" sound on the ground behind us. It only registers in my brain because a runner 20 feet back yells up to us that Tammy had dropped a key. She had her car key in her pocket and it had fallen out. We never would have known or been able to find it, had the runner not seen it and picked it up fer her. Tammy secures the key in the zipper pocket of her hand held water bottle and we continue on pace.
Mile 9.5 - Volunteer Bill is there and Kari snaps this photo of Tammy and I
Mile 10 - Llama sighting. Steepest uphill of the course. Tammy is struggling and I am worried that she is hitting the wall. I am prepared to stay with her until my two hour finish is threatened, but she toughs it out and tops the hill. Now she is running well again.
Mile 11 - Through Priest Point Park and then a gentle downhill on Eastbay drive. Picking up the pace, we are at 8:49 and running well.
Mile 12 - Tammy says that I could go on ahead. I had thought about running the last mile as fast as possible, but there are only a few people ahead of us that I think I could catch and I really do not want to injure myself just to take a minute or two off my time. I will stay with Tammy to the end. Club Oly is staffing the mile 12 aid station and Tammy drops her water bottle there, for a friend to return later in the week. Neither of us remember that her car key is in the pouch with the bottle until after the race finish.
Mile 12.5 - Pass Judy Fisher
Mile 13.1 - 13.05 on the GPS. Being the gentleman, I let Tammy cross ahead of me. We ran very even splits the whole way. The sprint to the finish gave us a slightly negative split. I drive Tammy back to mile 12 to pick up her key.
Nice wooden medal again this year. Rogue Race Timing has laptops set up so I can check my chip timed results right away.
I am thinking that I might skip the Tunnel Marathon next year and try to be fast at this half. But I love the Tunnel. I have time to decide. Next race is August 11, my 100th marathon.
1:54:49
129th of 375
Race# 298, Lakefair Half #2
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