RACE REPORT - Germantown Half Marathon 2017

	Event	Germantown Half Marathon
	Date	Sunday, March 12, 2017
	Bib	318
Result
1	06:34.8	Needed to be quick but in control
2	06:45.9	Why is everyone going so fast?
3	06:41.8	Up the hill	5K Split:	20:48.1	6:42/mile
4	06:44.5
5	06:47.7
6	06:47.6		10K Split:	41:10.5	6:38/mile
7	06:46.6		1st 1/2 (M6.55)	0:44:15	6:45/mile
8	06:35.8	WAR CRY
9	06:46.5		15K Split:	02:41.6	6:44/mile
10	06:39.6
11	06:45.0
12	06:46.1
13	06:36.7
14	00:33.5		2nd 1/2 (M6.55)	43:35	6:39/mile
Overall	Gender	Age Group
13th of 734	9th of 401	2 of 56
Official Time	Pace	Award
1:27:50.9	6:42	Male Master 3rd Place

I won 3rd Place Master's Prize Money.  My Sister-in-Law also finished the 5K (6th in AG)

HEART RATE MAX:	163/178 BPM
TEMP/WEATHER:	35°F at 100% Sunny (10MPH Wind)
Cadence	204Avg/225Max – Avg Stride length 1.17m
	MISCELLANEOUS:
Shoe	Nike 2015 Free 5.0 Pink
Attire	Nike 2inch shorts, Nike Dry-fit Pink “Breast Cancer” shirt, Nike - High-Compression socks
Timer	Garmin 225 Forerunner
Injury/Ailment	Hamstring, hip-flexor, calf slight sore
	NARRATIVE
Day Before	Brother and his family were in for the weekend. Ran slow miles with sister-in-law. Relaxing day. Slept a bit late (11PM). Pre-Race Got up at 5AM. Daylight savings-time reduced sleeping by an hour which means I only had 4hrs sleep. Stuff was already packed and ready. Got in a bottle of water and Granola bar. Warm up 2miles. Crips morning
On the Line	Started at front. Saw a few people I knew, like elites Jon, Lauren, Max. I took a Gel to settle the pit in my stomach. I was a bit nervous and tried to calm my body. I knew I trained hard for this and all I had to do was go.
M1-3	When the start began, I took off. I wanted to be below Half Marathon Pace (HMP) by 15sec but not all the way to 6 or 5s. The lead guys (and girl) were way ahead. I saw my friend (Anik) and gave a quick chase. I notice his pace was way too fast, so I slowed down to 6:35 for the first mile. I was doubting myself. “Anik is kicking my Ass! How come I can’t keep pace with him? I’m a not in the fitness I thought I was?” The split for 5K’s approached and Anik went right. He was on a whole different pace than I was. I was met by a Breakaway running buddy, David (the School Teacher) as I approached the hills. He asked what my goal time was. I told him I wanted to jinx it, but that I wanted to be fast but easy on the first half. We charged the hill on mile2. After we crested, we rolled down easy to the first 5K marker where it read sub21. I shot a Gel as we approached the water stop. Get the calories in early I thought. I was feeling pretty good, just hope I could hold.
M4-7	David and I pace each other. I knew he was fast and capable. We were trying to chase down a guy just in front of us for the next 3 miles. Like two beagles hunting fox. When we got to the school the 10K clock had us at 41:00, which I thought was decent considering my 10K PR was 40:30ish. However, The person in front of us (Nathan Berry) was pulling away. I was getting bothered that I wasn’t pushing hard enough as we exited the school back on to Wolf River Blvd. I realized I had to make a push or be stuck with the group that caught us from behind.
M8-10	War Cry! A group of 5-6 got to me and David as we rounded the High School. Once we got out, we were in a bunch and my watch was reading 6:47 Avg Pace. If I stuck with this group. I’d never reach my sub 1:28 even with a good kick. I had to GO NOW. I got ahead of David and the two ladies leading the pack. I took in a huge breath and gave a deep loud yell and increased pace back down to 6:35. Now this might sound even crazier, but I spread my arms out to shake them like a bird to flush out any lactate. I laughed at myself because it seemed funny but it kept me loose. What was funny in my mind exuded from my growing smile. I could see the other runners on the other side of the road cheering me, “that weird guy with the smile on his face, flapping his wings.” My pace dropped just a little going onto Farmington and into the park. The turns weren’t helpful. I could hear multiple footsteps chasing me. I am not going down!
M11-12	Final push back to Kimbrough where I skipped the last water stop but gave a quick nod to volunteer friends Barry and Bryan Robertson. The footsteps were fading and the clapping for the other runners sounded like a good 20yrd back. Last climb on Farmingdale and Brierbrook. I smirked in confidence. “Hills break people. Well… No Me, Not Today, I trained for it.” The Shelby Forest loop came to mind (the place I've been training for 2months). I charged the hill. I was inching closer to Nathan. I didn’t know if I had enough real estate to catch him. But I was going to try. For the most part throughout the course, there were really no tangents to navigate. However, as Brierbrook curved, I hit point to point of each apex. I got to make this course shorter.
Finish	Neshoba=1mile left. The crowd behind me was gone with the exception of only one set of footsteps. I also had closed even more gap on Nathan. I had double motivation. Not being caught while trying to catch. As I rounded Brierbrook onto Farmington, I refused to look out the corner of my eye for what could possibly be there. I didn’t want to know. I knew someone was there and if they were going to get me, we were going to fight it out. The runner got me at Exeter. I was red-line but thought of track 400s. Just give a bit more, try to get that runner back. This may sound stupid, but I was telling myself don’t fall down and remember how to run. LIFT YOUR FEET! Getting towards the finish, I saw the clock. My eyesight isn’t that great at 100yds but as I got closer it read 1-2-7. Holy Cow! I’m almost there! Speed the hell up and sprint! I got into the chute at 1:27:48something. I knew I had it and crossed the line with a double fist pump. I hit my goal with 09sec to spare. Close, but got it. I didn’t catch Nathan, I got passed at the last seconds. But that didn’t matter. I got my time.
After	I saw Kevin and had to re-verify if I actually did what I just did. It wasn’t a PR like the 2015RRS. This was much different. I ran this tactically with a plan on how to beat time, not an adversary. I monitored my watch, pace and effort. I used every bit of my training, knowledge of hills, tempo, how to pace off others, and when to dig really deep. I was 44:15 on the first part and 43:35 on the second part, I fought to keep that pace. It was sweet to get a Masters plaque and win some money. But the most rewarding was knowing I left everything on that course to reach a goal of getting to NYC in 2018.