Bearathon (3.03.07)

Bearathon Half Marathon:

13.1 miles -> 6:50 + 7:01 + 6:45 + 7:04 + 6:48 + 22:00 + 7:19 + 6:58 + 7:04 + 7:22 +

7:27 = 1:32:42 (Pace: 7:05 /mile)

21st Overall of 380
3rd A.G. of 20

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http://www.doitsports.com/newresults3/client/47224_188169_2007.html

Wow. I read that some people have called this run the hardest half in texas. I know firmly believe that. It was unreal. Not natural. Not fair. lmao. I wish I had been ready for that. So, im now going to attempt a race report just to try and summarize the phsycoticness that went down.

RACE REPORT:

Well.. w/ the race being in Waco I had to leave early. The race started @ 8am so i left around 5:45 got some gas and hit the road to waco. Exited in Waco right @ 7am. Parked, picked up my packet and chilled in the car. Tried to stay warm and hydrate. Ended up wearing: Race shoes, tri shorts, ironhead dri fit, underarmor, gloves and hat. Got out of the car and thought the gloves may be a bit much, but later on decided they were a good choice :D

Got to the starting line and headed towards the front. Well aware that I was too far forward.

Goes goes off and were running. Felt good. First mile ticks off @ 6:50. Dang. Def a bit faster than planned. Tried to back off just a bit and did. To about 7 even. I ended up starting to catch people. There was a pack just up a bit after we crossed this big bridge. They started falling apart and I tried cathing them which I caught a few of them. You can tell by looking at my miles up to 5 that they really fluctuated alot.

So... we got off the second bridge, do a uturn type thing and ended up next to the Brazos. It was really nice. THEN we hit the WACO MOUNTAIN. . Right about mile 5 we start climbing some hills. They were unreal. Really pretty scenic area, just un real how hard some of these climbs were. Not planned for would be an understatement. So we went up and down a about 3-4 of these intense climbs. We finally plateau at the top of this hill where there was a turnaround cauldisac thing. This was right @ mile 8 and had an awesome view. We turn around and start going the other direction. Hitting almost all the climbs again. It was funny because the climbs would go up, but then we'd go RIGHT BACK DOWN! So, it hurt going both directions. Once we got to about the point where the hills started we took a right and went through a "neighborhood". It was right before this area that I tried to take a gel. I maybe got half of it, snatched a cup of water and tried to swallow. It was sad. We got through this neighborhood and hit a pretty rough down hill till we were back on the trail that wrapped around that second bridge and then we were on our way back. Nice tail wind from about 4 on. I was about to get passed, so I held on to this one guy for probably a half mile. We passed someone but then he dropped me and that guy we passed caught me. I ran w/ him for a bit, and then we crossed that 1st bridge together. We turned back towards campus and he took off. About a mile out we took a diff route. Came from a diff. angle in Campus. Saw a women behind me and just cranked it towards the end. Last mile was movin.

Crossed the line and talked to a few guys. Went to the car and got some pants and a hoodie and beanie. Needed my endurox and to warm up.

Summary:

Great race. REALLY tough course. Placed in my ag so i was satisfied w/ that. Cool race for sure. Really nice volunteers and GREAT course/support along w/ post race food. The awards were probably the best that IVE EVER gotten. It was a bronze bear on a rock. Im going to post a pic because it was that badass.

_Jacob_