Tobacco Road Half Marathon Preview -- On the Home Turf

Sunday's Tobacco Road Half Marathon will be my third attempt at the distance.  The first two were a mixed bag of let downs and minor mishaps that left me hoping for better results.  Honestly, I am excited about this race.  I know, have run, and raced most of the course, which will be a first for me on any distance longer than an 8k.  It is easy for me to sometimes forget that I am still not finished with my second year of running because I no longer remember what it was like to not be a runner.  But, when I looked back over my race history the other day, I noticed the only 10k or longer repeat race I've done had major course changes. 

Last fall I ran the American Tobacco Trail 10 miler, which used much of this course, so even though I haven't run this race before, I won't be on totally new ground, which I think will at least help me to relax.  One of the worst aspects of each of my other races was not knowing the courses.  lf you've been following Spikes Issues with the Lancing Marathon then you know that runners like to know the course when they race.  When I ran New Bern this fall, I had done some scouting, but it was my first half and had so much on my mind that I didn't give it enough attention.  In Miami, it was just impossible with traffic and our schedule.  So, with this race, I am pleased that for the most part it will be unnecessary. 

I am hopeful that I'll have a good race, and luckily it seems that the worst of my hay fever and breathing issues has passed.  I felt much better over the course of this week, but I am now taking Clairitin, which can cause dry mouth, so I'll need to drink plenty of water.  Also, we are having an early summer . . .  No joke . . . today's high is 84, which is closed to a record for March.  I've begun to use Nuun, and after the humidity of South Florida, I am taking no chances this weekend.  

Soon, this will be mine!

As for goals, I would love to get in under 2 hours, but I'll need to run a smart race and suffer no set backs to get there.  It is a big goal, and I feel up to the challenge.  I've got my weight down over 10 pounds from my first Half Marathon which I finished in 2:06 and have PR'd the 8k twice and the 5k once, since that time, so it is not out of the question.  I won't be running with music, or any extra gear.  So, I hope to just focus on my pacing and stay mentally strong.  I tend to cross over into a bit of a mental no man's land after mile 6, but I am hoping to avoid it on Sunday.  We'll see . . .