My race started sometime around 9:20, though I really don't know when; I wasn't carrying my watch or my phone, so I just followed the masses of orange bib-wearing runners in workout clothes and costumes (superheros, Raggedy Anne, and a banana, to name a few).
I ran the first 1.5 miles or so until the first minor hill. I decided to walk it even though I wasn't tired; I figured that I hadn't done any running for a while, and there was no way that I would realistically run the whole thing. I decided to be strategic: run the flats and downhills and walk the uphills and water stations.
The race was mostly uneventful, other than being hit in the head with a beach ball after the first mile and running nearly side-by-side with a fireman in full uniform. I have to admit, though, I kind of impressed myself by how fast I seemed to go, given my lack of running training. I knew I wasn't close to my 11:18 pace (2011 PR for this course), but I knew that I was going significantly faster than I had last year (14:14/mile). My near-daily elliptical machine training paid off in terms of cardio, and I completed the race without ever feeling truly out of breath or pained from side aches.
Somewhere between Mile 6 and 7, I felt a little annoyed at how long that particular mile was. I could have sworn that someone had moved the Mile 7 marker because I knew I had run much farther. Unlucky for me, however, no one had stolen the sign; I came upon the marker and still had a half mile to go.
The last half mile wasn't fast, but I did have a little kick at the tiny downhill to the finish. I crossed the finish line in 1:38:40, with a pace of 13:13/mile. I finished in the top half of all 32 year-old females and over a minute faster per mile than last year. I did ok. :)
After the race, a bunch of us from Beer Chasers met at No-Li Brewery to enjoy a meal and a beverage or two. Unfortunately, it wasn't warm enough for us to sit outside, so I enjoyed my Cream Ale at an indoor table, with my jacket on, surrounded by fellow Bloomies.
<3
