Half Marathon to kick off 2019

Welcome baby New Year 2019! This is the year, 2019. The year of turning 45, the year of reaching my 45th state, and the year Paris Marathon. I planned to kick off the year with a half marathon. This is something that I have never done since I’ve started running. Usually I’ll run a 5k or 10k for Lowell’s first run or I’ll run the WIcked four in Salem. This year is the year of challenging myself. I ran the Chilly Willy half marathon in Seeknok, Massachusetts which is next to Pawtucket Rhode Island. New race, new place.

Today there were many unexpected challenges such as the weather. A balmy 54 degrees out. I think I over dressed because at one point I had to take off my layers and ditch my gloves. I’m beyond happy because last year in Lowell it was 3 degrees out.

Then, the map, the route looked flat because we ran a loop. But oh no!!! There were at least 8 to 9 miles of rolling uphills. At one point the wind kicked in hard and I was running uphill with the wind pushing me down.

Since this was a small race and it was in the suburbs, there wasn’t a lot of police to block off roads and cars. The 5k and 10k had the protection because of their short race. Us half-marathon people had to deal with cars that wanted to be on our ass and didn’t know how to go around us. That become more work.

This race was a good baseline for training. I am heavier and slower than I have ever been, since running. I got tired. Thou I keep pumping those arms up those mother fucking hills. My results was 2:14:42. Which was a 10:14 pace. I remember when I could finish a half at 2 hours. I’ll get there again.

Running a half is just like life. I had no idea what was around the corner, I wanted to quit and I felt beat- up. The only option was to keep going. Fast or slow I had to keep going. In the end, I crossed the finished line.