Race Report: Drake Half-Marathon

Race: Drake On-The-Roads Half-Marathon
Distance: 13.1 miles
Official Time: 1:52:20
Watch Time: 1:51:12
Pace/Mile: 8:28

I woke up Saturday with one goal in mind: run my own race. No pushing the pace if it just wasn't there on the day. I just wanted to run a strong race and a smart race. Ultimately, I intended to see if my training was on track for a possible sub-4 hour at the upcoming Grandma's Marathon in June. With recently only logging an average of 18-24 miles weekly, and the half-marathon being my first race of the year, I was just vying for a finish in less than two hours. And, if things went well and my body felt like being pushed a little, it would hopefully be in the lower 1:50's. We'd just have to wait and see.

When I arrived at Drake campus around 7:00am, the weather was about ten degrees colder than last year's race, hovering at around 38 degrees. There was also a brisk wind coming from the west. Needless to say, it was downright chilly. But at least it wasn't pouring down rain like it had been for the race a few years back…now that was a race! So, even with the windy conditions, I knew the cooler weather would help the runners have a chance to lay down some decent time splits. I made my way down to the stadium area and began my stretching routine.

I think my only mistake of the day was jumping into the starting line pack further back than I should have. Not only did I have to shuffle towards the starting line for well over a minute after the gun had sounded, but it made for a difficult pace for the first couple of miles until the crowds finally thinned out. My first mile split came up agonizingly slow in around 9:15, so I found a couple of guys who were running fast and stuck behind them. By the time we hit the three mile mark I had brought my pace back down to around 8:30, and keep increasing slowly to make up for lost time. Down Kingman Blvd and onto Polk Blvd. Here the racing crowds split up, with the 8K runners looping back and the half-marathon crowd marching onward.

Leaving Polk Blvd and hopping over 56th Street, we next cruised through the Waterbury neighborhood. With its blend of hills and curves, as well as the two-mile ascension north towards Urbandale Avenue after, the race began to get a bit challenging here. Fortunately, after a quick evaluation, I was still feeling quite fresh and set my sights on laying them down as efficiently as possible. I made it a point to pass as many runners as I could along the way, while repeating my silly little mantra of "new-york-marathon" to help keep myself inspired.

Once we topped out in the Beaverdale neighborhood around mile 8 and began our trudge back south, I dropped my pace to 8:05 and set a goal of passing as many people as I could for the next two miles. Focusing on the person in front of me, I would pick them off one by one. All except for the couple of faster guys who kept themselves just out of my reach. Instead, I made them my sole focus for about a mile. But by the time mile 10 came around, I was beginning to feel a little stiff and decided to let them have their lead and stay out in front. Maybe I'd catch them another day. Knowing Kingman Blvd was coming up quickly, I eased my pace back a little and settled in for a consistent rhythm that would bring me home. This area is personally one of the greatest spots for me to run along, especially during training, and having all those people cheering and volunteers handing out water just provided me so much needed energy.

As we reentered the Drake area and turned north back onto 25th Street, I could finally see the finish line ahead. "Co'mon now, only a few blocks further", I told myself. Of course, this was it...my final chance to pass those two stubborn guys before I crossed the finish. They were already about 100 meters out in front of me as I began throwing my tired feet out in front of me over and over. But with only a block left to the line, I edged them both out and still somehow found a reserve of energy enough to enthusiastically slap high-fives to my kids as they cheered wildly with my wife from the sidelines. I then straightened my shoulders and charged over the finish line with a huge smile on my face.

I guess I am putting this down as my most evenly paced effort in a half-marathon race, though I don't have much to compare it to as this was only my second half-marathon ever. However, it was good enough for a new PR. I pushed myself to my limits, raced hard, and had a great time. Next up, Dam to Dam 20K in May.

Congratulations to all the Drake On-The-Roads Races runners! And a special shout out to Kent who finished just a few seconds ahead of me...I'll be gunning for you next year, buddy! :)