Kiawah Island Marathon - 12.08.07

so, i was waiting to write this until i had some pictures from the race...but i haven't received any except the professional ones they take and i'm not sure how they'll turn out. we'll see. i'll post some pre and post-race pictures in the future. anyway, the race couldn't have been better...well, ok, it could have, i could have won, or the entire course could have been lined with spectators the entire time, or my ipod could have not died at mile 23, or at that one water stop there could have been someone there actually paying attention and handing out water...but other than that i think it was fabulous! the weather was absolutely gorgeous...i think it was 45 when the race started...and the high was about 70 for the day! the island was gorgeous...and the houses were beautiful and huge!! i'd love to have a house there! i recommend taking a trip there! ok back to the race...i finished in 4:39:47...just making my goal of running under 4:40! yay!

here are my approximate mile splits...
1 - 10:22 - people still don't understand that if you're a walker, you shouldn't start in the front...we had to do a lot of dodging... 2 - 9:46 - times looking a little better.
3 - 9:39 - even better.
4 - 9:43
5 - 9:46
6 - 9:31
7 - 10:36 - not sure what happened here...
8 - 9:59
9 - 9:59
10 - 10: 04
11 - 10:14 - slowing down :(
12 - 10:13
13 - 10:14 - so that brings my half marathon time to approx. 2:10...not bad.
14 - 10:30
15 - 10:49 - getting even slower...
16 - 10:36
17 - 11:06
18 - 11:25
19 - 10:44 - trying to pick it up!
20 - 11:33 - i just wasn't able to maintain it! ha!
21 - 11:20
22 - 11:46
23 - 12:44 - this is where i stopped to give my fuel belt to ellen...but i had to get my room key out of side pocket and then try to put it in the pocket in the back of my skirt...that's a tough task when you've just run 22 miles...

24 - 12:09 - i wanted to run that mile under 12...i was so close!

25 - 11:49 - i think this is where that guy came up behind me and this other girl and told us to get going...in a supportive, encouraging, 'let's get this over with' kind of way.

26 - 10:59 - i knew i had to pick it up to be under 4:40...

26.2 - 2:26 - the end.

somehwere after mile 23...

again...after mile 23...the girl in front of me (who is out of view) gave a thumbs up...so i copied her...haha. i had no thought process at that point.

woohoo...(i think this is around mile 25)

at the finish line...yay.

stay tuned for more pictures...

my next race will be the coach bubba 20k in durham in february...and then the shamrock half marathon in virginia beach over st. patty's day weekend. i've convinced christian to run it too. :)