Free Race Photos, The Emmy’s, & Destination Run

So some more good news to go with the nearly 5 minute PR in a Half Marathon that I ran over the weekend…today they gave us our race photos…FOR FREE! That is rare and most welcome!

Look, a decent race photo! Feet in the air and all. Shirt looks like it needs ironing.

Not as good, but hey, it’s free. At least my shirt is less wrinkly.

OK, this one is awkward. I think I tried to smile, but only half my mouth agreed to do so – either that or I had a mild stroke.

And get this, they also had a short video of me finishing. You can watch it HERE.

Anyway, after the race, I didn’t have much time to celebrate because I had to get to the airport for a flight to Houston. Took a quick video flying over Dallas…

I was off to H-Town for the Emmy Awards Gala. This year we were nominated for two.

Here’s looking at you, kid. Hey wait, how did a baby goat get in here?

Anyway, we didn’t win any this year. But that’s more motivation to step up our game! We’ll be back next year!

The next morning I was tired and sore from the previous day. But I looked out the hotel window and saw the Houston Half Marathon going on. Despite the 93% humidity, I decided to lace up my runnin’ shoes and go run along the course for a bit to shake out my legs and to support the racers. I always love running in new places.

I actually went 4 miles, but my GPS had issues amongst the skyscrapers.

What a crazy few days. Such a whrilwind. But would we want it any other way?

How bout you? How would you describe your race photos? Run an any new cities recently? Tell me something!

-Scott

Dallas 13.1 Half Marathon Recap – New PR!!!

Well it looks like all the extra mileage I’ve been running is paying off. I set a new 5k PR at Oktoberfest, ran within one second of that PR at last week’s Mavs 5k, and then two days later PR’d by nearly 5 minutes in the Michelob Ultra Dallas 13.1 Marathon.

Shiny new PR, shiny new medal, dull bumpy tongue.

My goals going into this race were:

1.PR

2. Run sub-8 minute miles

3. Negative split

4, Have fun

I’m glad to say that I accomplished each goal – finishing in 1:42:59!!!!

Official results

The weather was warm – 70 at the start, and fairly humid, and a bit windy. Also they changed the course this year ~ unnicely adding in some rolling hills the first half of the course. There was also a nasty little zig zag of a couple 180 degree turns at on little section. They also feature an unwelcome hill at mile 12.

There was also very little crowd support and entertainment along the course. But overall, it’s still a good course and race. Like I said, I PR’d, and so did several of my friends.

Some of my PR friends. We did it big..until that guy stole our water bottle.

I took it out easy and slowly increased speed as I went. Once we got to the Katy Trail section of the course, I could see the 1:45 pacer off in the distance. I ended up catching him around mile 10 and was able to pass him by a good distance. At the water stops I would look over my shoulder to make sure I was keeping my lead on him.

The White Rock Running Co-op and Thursday Night Social Run folks. Everyone had a great outing!

Unfortunately I dropped my Gu packet around mile 10, so I had to rely on the Gatorade at the water stations. I walked through three of them, but I didn’t lose too much time doing so, luckily.

My buddy Terrance ran his first half marathon! I’m on my tippy toes.

When I got to the last turn, I only saw two people in front of me, and I kicked it in, using them as goals to pass…I did! I even heard a shout out from the race announcer.

My Sunday Runday pal, Serene also PR’d!

I also had two friends in this race who finished 2nd and 1st overall!!! Speedy dudes!

Brent and Logan collecting their hardware.

After the race they had a fun band playing, but I felt bad for them because it was so hot out that everyone was hiding in the shaded areas. Well, except for one hula hooper…

Besides the bazillion friends I had running this race, I also had a gagillion more who were there to cheer. Great people.

I’m a selfie artist.

In the end, this race is known for PR’s. Despite the changes this year, that reputation held true. It was a fun event with lots of fun friends!

How we do.

How bout you? Know any races where people usually PR? Did you know hula hoopers love Bobby Brown music? Anyone else race this weekend? Or do two races???

-Scott

Shhh, My Secret Race!

So I’ve got a secret. I’ve been keeping it close to my vest (side note, I also started wearing vests). Here it is: I’ve been secretly training for a race.

I hadn’t registered for said race until just this week, but I’ve been eyeballing it from a distance. It’s the Dallas 13.1 half marathon. I ran this race two years ago and set a PR.

In all black like a villain robbing time and bling!

This race has the best half marathon course of any race I’ve done in Dallas. And since I did well last time, and since the weather will hopefully be cool, and since I have a ton of friends running it, and since I’m healthy and in decent shape, those are the reasons I chose this race.

This year’s bottle opener medals. Funny cause Mich Ultra is a twist off.

It used to be sponsored by Allstate, but now it’s presented by Mich Ultra. To be honest, I’m no fan of Mich Ultra. I personally want a beer with some flava. Like a proper Guinness. Maybe I can cover up the gigantor Mich Ultra logo on my medal with a Guinness one…

My other issue with this race is that it is officially called the “Michelob ULTRA Dallas 13.1 Marathon”. Catchy title, eh? My issue is that they call this half marathon a ‘marathon’. What the wha? I have zero clues as to why they are calling a half marathon a marathon. Not cool. Not to mention the fact that ULTRA is in the title, implying that it’s an ultra marathon.

Anyways, back to my secret training…It’s been all about them miles.

Track work, weekday run, trail run, long run…Halfway through October and already at 74 miles for the month! Woot Woot!

I haven’t been following any specific plan. My main goal was simply to increase my weekly mileage. I’ve also been doing some speed and hill work, but mainly I’m all about the miles this time around. If you read my weekend recap then you know I put in 25ish miles – much further than the 13.1 I’ll be racing. I hope this strategy helps.

They say you hit the wall at the point of your previous long run. So I hope that by running 15-16 mile long runs will delay the wall in a 13.1 mile race. Legs Fingers crossed!

How bout you? You have any secrets to share? Are you also offended that they’re calling this 13.1 race a ‘marathon’. Do you train by running further than the race distance?

-Scott

Dallas 13.1 Half Marathon

Here ye go: another day, another race recap.  This one be the Allstate 13.1 Dallas Half Marathon, but you probably gathered that from the title of this post.  Anyhoodle, I had another good race.  It’s much more fun to run when you’re in relatively good shape, I tell you.  Yes, it can suck getting into shape, but once you are, things are much easier.

I was going for a PR (personal record) in this race, and I got one!  My previous PR was set a few years ago at the Dallas Rock N Roll Half.  My sister and I pushed each other the whole race and actually beat Troy Aikman.  Never mind I felt like puking the entire race from trying to keep up the pace.  But that was a few years ago, and this was closer to current times.

2011 Dallas Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon With Sis. Concentrating on not hurling.

The day was the 28th, the month was October, the year was 2012.  And this time around I was going for a negative split – where the second half of the race is faster than the first half…and I was able to do it during this half.  All the “experts” say this is the way to race to get good times.  I like good times.  Only problem is that I think I went out way too slow.  I was trying to conserve and do a proper negative split, but I conserved too much me thinks.  My first two miles were right at 9 minutes per.  My last couple miles were under 8 min per.  Too big of a gap me thinks.  It’s all an experiment, I guess.

Either way I was able to PR at 1:47:43, beating my old best by 13 seconds.  Here’s the difference – I never once felt like I might puke all over my Brooks.  I was still sore and tired, but never felt the need to blow chunks.  So what does that tell me?  Glad you asked.  It tells me that I can still go faster!  I could’ve easily shaved a minute off by not going out so slow.  Who knows what would’ve happened if I had pushed a little harder the first half of the race?  Nobody, that’s who.  What a stupid question.  All we can do is imagine, and dream, and wonder, and other fantastical brain workings.

See, told ya the medal is kind of cool. Don’t question me.

Other than that, the course was scenic, but a somewhat hilly.  The weather was sunny, but cold, but that’s good for running.  The medal was pretty cool too with a little spinning thing in the middle of it.

To sum up:  Good times!