This morning, when I arrived at Tyler State Park for the Bucks County Road Runners Winter Series Half Marathon Race, it was 18 degrees and a bit blustery with the wind blowing. I wasn't sure how many loops I would run – there were a total of four. The first 2 loops were repeats of 2.7 miles each and the last 2 loops were repeats of hilly 3.8 miles. In addition to the hills, there was a nasty wind factor to contend with so even if I finished the 13.1 miles, I wasn't expecting any miracles.
Lo and behold, to my amazement and satisfaction, I managed to pull a PR out of the hat and I finished in 1:58:38. That is 24 seconds faster than my previous PR for a Half Marathon. What a sense of accomplishment I had when I heard one of the race organizers cheering me on to finish less than 1:59 as I approached the finish line!
All I can say is that my training is continuing to pay off and that makes me feel great. I continue to see improvement in my speed, times, and how I feel after I finish. I can't wish for anything more than that.
Immediately post race, I enjoyed 2 cups of hot chocolate and a handful of salty pretzels. When I arrived home, it was a quick shower followed by my post race recovery meal that included 3 egg whites with 1 egg yolk, a piece of toasted whole wheat grain bread, a tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, and a banana – Yum!
I think I have my eyes set on the couch for a mid afternoon nap where I trust my 4 legged white haired companion (a West Highland Terrier) will be at my side so he can enjoy a relaxing back rub as I doze off to sleep….
Happy and Safe Running Folks!
John
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