Santa Barbara Half Marathon

Possibly the most anti -climatic start and end to a race ever. 

It started with me waiting for over an hour in 46 degree weather to board a bus to take me to the start line.  I finally loaded the bus at 7:35AM

The race started at 7:15AM

They held the start time back til 7:30AM, but I still saw people running while I was on the super crowded bus.

They did another count down for all of us that got off the bus, and off I went, weaving through all the slow walkers.

It took me about a mile to get some feeling in my frozen feet.

At the end of the race, I was sprinting it in, giving everything I had left, about to make it to my grand finish, when the guy in front of me tripped over the rug at the finish line, falling flat on his face.

I did a quick side step around him (luckily not falling over him) for my big finish. 

I felt really bad for him.

But can't wait til they post the race photos.

And then I waited about an hour by myself until my friend finished her marathon.

But the in between was great.  Great course.  Great weather.  Great scenery.  And a great run.  Not all the bells and whistles of Disney, but that's ok, I was all business.  On a mission.

I had a secret goal time that I didn't divulge to anyone.  My knee had been acting up that week and I didn't want to disappoint.

The goal time was 1:50. 

There is a point you get to in a race when you just know you are going to hit your goal.  It is a pretty amazing feeling.  And then I make a new goal to see by how much I can beat that goal.

Finished in 1:48:16

8:16 pace

PR'd by over 8 minutes.

And I told myself I was going to take a running break after this race.

But of course I am already looking into when my next will be.