Illinois Half Marathon

Illinois Half Marathon - 10th 1/2 marathon

Champaign, IL

Time: 2:49:06 Pace: 12:54

Place: Age 156/203; gender 1782/2096; overall 3367/3783

Yay! My worst half marathon time yet! I don't know what happened between my PR last November until now but I needed to get to the bottom of it. I ended up having a chest X-ray to rule out anything serious shortly after this race. I was fine which was a major relief since I smoked for 25 years. I don't think It's my heart as at the time I'm writing this post I ran a full marathon 3weeks ago and didn't die.  I truly belief it's allergy and sinus issues. I'm having a bunch of blood tests next week. we'll see.

I ran this race by heart rate because I had no idea what was wrong with me. I work a heart monitor around my torso that sent signals to my Garmin. I walked when the rate got to a certain number and ran when it went back down.

I'm so glad I drove to Champaign and I'm so glad for Target and it's late hours. I was getting my flat Kym ready at 8:30 pm when I realized I had not packed my sports bra. I ran to Target and bought one. When I first started running Target didnt sell a decent bra to support larger girls but they've come a long way. I got a nice zip front number that I was super impressed with until I wore the same bra at the Bay Shore marathon and had the worst case of boob chafing ever!

The course was fantastic! It started on the U of I campus outside the football field and wound through downtown, the charming neighborhood streets of Urbana, a new housing development which seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, a nature preserve (true midwest prairie!) and finished on the University's football field. The finish was a million times better than finishing in Soldier Field.

Some where around mile 7 or 8 when were running though a neighborhood I noticed a cop driving a 4 wheeler. The sound of the motor and the faint smell of the fumes were driving me bananas! He was ruining my run. I turned my head and made a comment like the fumes were not good for my asthma. I don't recall think I have asthma but he was annoying me. He motored on but kept showing up. I felt like he was trailing me. I couldn't figure out why he wouldn't just move the hell on.

Then we get onto the prairie path where his little vehicle was really in the way. What was this guy doing? I kept making comments that he needed to zoom ahead and how the fumes weren't good for runners, get a bicycle instead, etc.

Finally after I annoyed HIM to death he came up beside me and said "I know you think I 'm following you but I'm not." Turns out he was assigned to follow the last person in the marathon and she was ahead of me. I don't think that was correct because I talked to a woman around mile 5 who was running the full - her first! She looked like she was having a bit of a hard time so I gave her some words of encouragement. I zoomed past her. Maybe she dropped out.

I took my photos, downed a bottle of water and walked up the bleachers to the concession area. Boy oh boy were they giving the food away! Full size bottles of prezels, pizza, pasta, electrolyte water and some other stuff I can't recall. No beer though. Through the wind, while carrying my goodies and trying to keep the foil blanket wrapped around me in tact I made my way out the parking lot to find my car. I was so proud of myself. I really thought I knew exactly where I going.

 I realized I was lost when I got a few blocks away and had no clue where I was. The nice cops helped me figure it out and I actually found my car!!! I'm not good at finding things so this was a total miracle.  I stopped at a liquor store on the way back to the hotel to get my celebratory shower beer. I gobbled down some snacks, showered, napped and then headed out for an actual meal.