Cleveland Half Marathon ~ May 19, 2013

On May 19, 2013 I ran my eighth half marathon and my third in Cleveland. I didn’t train for this race so my expectations were really low…I just wanted to finish injury-free. I had registered last June so I hated to see my money wasted and after the situation in Boston, I figured it was a time to where I could run Boston Strong. When the weather forecast came out, I was terrified that I’d have the same miserable experience as last year when the temps were in the 80’s.

 

The the pre-race set up in Cleveland is one of the best I've seen with the concourse of Browns Stadium being open to runners. Being able to use an actual restroom instead of a port-o-potty is priceless. The lines are never as terrible as other races and the start line is just a few steps away.

 

 

When race time approached, it was a little warm, but relatively comfortable. I set out on a 9:45 pace, but then conveniently hit a short wall at mile six. I wasn’t surprised as that was the distance I had been running prior to the race. I carried on and walked a few times, but didn’t doubt that I’d reach my goal…to finish. As always, Steve was my #1 fan and met me intermittently throughout the course, while Sean and Alex surprised me at mile 7.5. It’s always one of my favorite courses with outstanding fan support. Since I wasn't breaking any personal records, I took a few seconds to chat and pose for a picture or two.

 

 

I also brought my iPhone with me so I could take a few pictures on the course. Nothing spectacular, just a "runner's view" I guess.

 

 

It was a beautiful day so instead of our taditional celebratory mimosa, we splurged and bought a bottle of champagne and drank it on the patio at Rozi's Wine House.

 

 

So there it is. Another half marathon in the books and another medal to hang. I have no doubt that I'll do another, but would prefer to be back in running shape before next time. Crossing the finish line is much more prideful when I've sacrificed the countless hours and countless miles during the training process. I'm due for another destination race, so it'll give me an excuse to start training again :)