Been a while since I've run a half marathon.
Inaugural Lindsay Milk Run Half Marathon today. Little town north-east of Toronto. Ran a 10K race earlier here this year at Shamrock Sprint in March in a cold wind-chill, clocking 51:56 to win my age group. Ran the Lindsay Milk Run 10K back in 2012 in 47:02.
Had to wake up at 3:45am for breakfast and washroom, pick up a coffee and donut at the 24-hour coffee shop in the neighbourhood, and do the 75 minutes drive to Lindsay from Toronto. Since it was a point to point marathon, had to be on the buses at 6:15am to take us to the start north of the city starting at 7:10am.
Two yellow school buses took the 80 Halfers to the start line at a cottage resort area. Race had a sponsor that sprung for a start arch, even though it was up for 15 minutes at the most. Must have wanted the photo-op.
Goal basically was to stay between the 1:45 and 1:55 pace bunnies (1:40 was the only other bunny in the race). With such a small field, fell into pace and line almost immediately. Close to the 1:45 bunny for 1K, which gave me some hope, but upon checking his watch at the 1K marker, he picked up my pace. Was on a country road for one mile, before we hit the rail trail recreation path. It was in excellent shape, and appeared freshly graded by the Region that organizes the race. It’s a snowmobile trail in winter. Nice and flat with gentle curves. Went pass farms, horse pastures, marsh and wooden areas, till we hit the city and it turned into an asphalt covered trail at 16K. Was mostly gravel till then and since I like to wear my shoes loose I was afraid I would pick us some sharp gravel that would bug my “Princess & the Pea” feet (I could never be a barefoot runner). Did pick up some small gravel hitchhikers in my shoe, but none that I had to stop for and empty out. But, on a couple of occasions had to do a shake of my shoe to redistribute those pesky pebbles away from a sensitive area.
Weather was pretty good for July with overcast skies and about 75F at the start and moving to about 80F at the end when the sun came out the last third of the race.
Had a couple of twenty somethings guys that opened a 150-meter gap on me in the first 5K, but I slowly reeled them in and passed them almost exactly at the half way mark. I think I passed the 2nd place 60-69-year-old male at 17K. And that was it for any passing? No-one I think passed me, but at the end of the race the guy finishing behind me and in the same age group said he was after me, but blew up at the 19K mark and knew he couldn’t pass me. He finished 51 seconds behind me. We melded into the 10Kers just after 16K ended up initially with the one hour plus 10Kers, so there was lot of passing to be made and I passed the 1:05 pacer for the 10K at 17K. Then we merged with the 5K walkers at 19K. So, more weaving and passing was to be made, but we were back on the roads with plenty of room to move.
Finished in 1:50:36, 2nd in the 50-59 age group, 22nd overall. They only did overall 1st, 2nd, 3rd Male/Female in the Half. Race medals was a cow bell.
One of the sponsors was the local Milk producers, so the had chocolate milk and ice cream at the food tent, along with the usual bananas, oranges and bagels.
SPLITS:
Km Time Split
+/- Elev
1 04:40 4'40 -14m
2 09:54 5'14"
0'34" +9m
3 15:07 5'13" 0'01" +2m
4 20:22 5'15"
0'02" -1m
5 25:41 5'19"
0'04" +7m
6 31:00 5'19" 0'00" +1m
7 36:19 5'19" 0'00" +3m
8 41:39 5'20"
0'01" +6m
9 46:56 5'17" 0'03" -4m
10 52:12 5'16" 0'01" -7m
11 57:20 5'08" 0'08" -8m
12 1:02:33 5'13"
0'05" -9m
13 1:07:59 5'26"
0'13" +8m
14 1:13:29 5'30" 0'04" +5m
15 1:18:51 5'22" 0'08" 0m
16 1:24:09 5'18"
0'04" -3m
17 1:29:24 5'15" 0'03" -3m
18 1:34:46 5'22"
0'07" +5m
19 1:39:58 5'12" 0'10" +11m
20 1:45:05 5'07" 0'05" +1m
21 1:49:56 4'51" 0'16" -6m
MOO!
