Zooma Annapolis Half-Marathon Race Report

I suppose that this race started Tuesday afternoon, when I picked up my race packet. At that point I had a mix of excitement and nerves. I was feeling good, having a tough time with my taper though, I just wanted to run. I went out for a quick two mile run on Thursday, just to keep my legs loose, that was my last run before the race.
My bib:

Race shirt:


~~Saturday~~
I had a graduation party to goto, at 3:00 PM. Which means I'd be eating whatever they served for dinner. The food sucked, so when I got home I cooked myself some pasta and enjoyed in a carbo-load dinner. I went upstairs around 9:30 PM and started my last minute prep for the following morning. I set two alarms so I'd defiantly wake up on time. I laid out my clothes, set my shoes by the door. Made sure I had my breakfast food of choice in the house. Everything was perfect. I didn't fall asleep until closer to 11:30 PM, giving me about five hours of sleep.
Everything waiting for me to wake up:


~~Sunday (pre-race)~~
My alarms sound at 4:30 AM, which is the earliest I've woken up in a long time. I was surprised that I was able to sleep as well as I did. When I woke up my stomach was in knots, I was so nervous. I got dressed, went downstairs and set in on my usual race day breakfast of toast with peanut butter (chunky) and apples & cinnamon oatmeal. After breakfast my stomach wasn't feeling good at all, I set off anyway in hopes that in the following hour and a half before the race starts it will settle. It started to, but defiantly wasn't 100% at the start.
At my house, 4:40 AM:

Pre-race at the start, 6:40 AM:


~~Sunday (gun to finish)~~
I lined up with the nine minute pacer, knowing that I couldn't hold that pace, but I was hoping to stick with her until mile 6 or 7. As we were in the final minutes before the start I saw one of my friends that I had no idea would be at the race, that was a big boost. She set off with the nine minute pacer, also knowing that was too fast for her. The gun sounded and we were off. It was really happening, I was actually about to run 13 miles, 142 yards, 1 foot, and 6 inches. Mile one was effortless, we ran it in 8:20. Mile two was also quicker then it should have been with about 8:40. Right after the mile two marker we embarked in our first hill, a bridge over the Severn River. This bridge was huge, and a killer. It's good that I was at the beginning as opposed to the end. I was able to run the bridge but it took a lot out of me. I don't know any more mile splits from this point because my Garmin started to mess with me. At the 5k split the clock was showing just under 30 minutes, which puts me on the ten minute pace I was hoping for, but I hit it earlier then I wanted. Right after the 5k point I took a miss step which resulted in me falling off the road, I caught myself with my hands and was able to only loose a step or two. Mentally it messed with me bad though. I pushed on and around mile five I saw the nine minute pacer walking, turns out she tripped also. Around mile six I was starting to slow and could feel it. Not too much later I had a FE with cj2001. We ran together for a little, then she fell off the pace, then caught me again, then passed me. At the turn around point, which came right before mile eight I was feeling really bad. I was still ahead of my hopeful ten minute mile pace. At eight and a half I grabbed some Gatorade because I was cramping a bit. This was a bad idea, my stomach didn't like that at all. I was starting to lose my pace around mile nine. Shortly after my friend from the start line caught up to me and helped to push me along. I was starting to hurt bad around mile ten. After the tenth mile marker I was in a new distance PR. The miles kept passing, although they were passing much slower then I was hoping they would be. The last couple miles were downhill, which was a welcomed relief considering the first four or five miles were almost straight up hill. Mile twelve passed, I was hurting so bad. I looked down and saw 2:10:00 pass, there went ten minute pace. Now it was all about finishing. Mile thirteen came, all that was left was a loop around an exit ramp to the finish line. As soon as I saw the banner that said "FINISH" my legs gained a second wind. I asked my friend if she minded if I 'sprinted' to the finish, she told me to go. I gave it my all, crossed the line with a gun time of 2:18:36.
Just after the gun:

Coming to the finish:

Just after the line:

Removing my chip:

Post-race chat with fellow runners (#8 is my friend who helped me push through the last 5 miles):


~~Sunday (post-race)~~
I tried to walk a bit, but my legs weren't having any of that. So I stretched as best I could before getting on the shuttle to the post-race party and expo and my car. One I sat down on the bus my legs instantly locked up, it was bad. We got back to the post-race party, I stumbled off the bus and picked up my boxed lunch. I was feeling horrible still, as expected. I stumbled my way back to my car where I say cj2001 again, she finished about ten minutes ahead of me (Good Job on your first half!) we chatted for a little before we parted ways. After a bit of a ride home I took a shower and sat in the tub, it felt so good. I took a bit of a nap on the sofa then checked for the official results. My chip time was, drum-roll please...2:18:20. A 10:34 pace, only 34 seconds off my goal pace, so for my 1st half I am not complaining. Another thing I saw when checked the results, was that I won my age group! Ok, I was the only Male 15-19 to finish, but there is still a 1 next to my name under age group place!