Fargo Half Marathon Race Report

This may be a little abbreviated as it is 12:15 p.m. and I have a 1 p.m. checkout here at the Marriott Courtyard in Moorhead, Minnesota.

I stayed out on the course to see Dick Beardsley finish the marathon; however, I think he either ran the half - opposed to what others said - or he dropped early.

I did stay out long enough to The Woodlands Running Club vice president Tony Allison complete his 77th marathon in 26 states in a time of approximately 3 hours, 50 minutes. (I saw Lou Wilson right at the start of the race and then I was off. I know that he tries to stay on a 12-minute per mile pace early on and was even going to go back to a run/walk possibly.)

In the half marathon, I'm actually pretty happy. I finished in 2:18:16 (my watch time, which should equal the chip time) and that is just off of my 2:17:30 goal. I think I walked once - at the mile 6 marker - other than coming out of a water stop. (Wait, maybe one more time at mile 12.)

Mile 1 -- 10:20.76
Mile 2 -- 10:12.11
Mile 3 -- 10:20.58
Mile 4 -- 10:18.72
Mile 5 -- 10:04.41 (51:16.58)
Mile 6 -- 10:23.63
Mile 7 -- 10:42.24 (stiff headwind and up the side of the levy ... maybe the highest point in all of Fargo)
Mile 8 -- 10:30.78
Mile 9 -- 10:52.41 (more wind)
Mile 10 -- 10:40.06
Mile 11 -- 11:33.81 (walked a little longer out of the water stop, but not that long)
Mile 12 -- 10:33.09 (would guess 11 was long and 12 was short)
Mile 13 -- 10:30.71
Last .1 -- 1:13.02 (the "Hook 'em Horns" salute might have cost me getting under 2:18!)

Total -- 2:18:16

The temperature yesterday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. was about 88 degrees. At 12 noon, just having checked at weather.com, the temperature is 49 degrees and feels like 43 with the wind.

It was great for me. I'm feeling my fitness coming back. I worried a little bit about my right foot early in the race and my back didn't give me any problems. (Not sure if that is the Advil doing its job or just that I really pulled something and things have settled back into the right place. As long as I'm not hurting with every step, not sure that I care.)

I had a good strategy early on and it actually caused me to feel like I was going too fast. I found the best looking runner on the course (well, maybe just actually a very good physique, let's say)and followed her for as long as I could. She was running with two friends. I saw her off at a little bit of a distance at miles 7 and 8 and then lost them from there.

The only negative of the entire event was the traffic control getting into the Fargodome this morning. The community and volunteer support for this event was absolutely incredible. There were people everywhere cheering everyone on!

Tomorrow is the Apple Blossom Half Marathon in Hastings, Minnesota.