Hamden Hills Half Marathon – May 26, 2012 (2:42:49)

I slayed a dragon this Saturday.  I did the Hamden Hills Half Marathon.  This event was run for the first time (same as the Cheshire Half).  It’s nice that there are these events in the area now.  I wasn’t planning on doing this half.  I have my friend Shannon to thank for this (especially as I hobble around today with such sore legs!)  After I completed the Cheshire half I knew I wanted to do more.  There was a flier on my car about this Hamden Hills half but the description said:

“The Innaugural Hamden Hills Half Marathon & 5K takes in the picturesque hills of Hamden’s back-country.  The start/finish is at Quinnipiac University York Hill Campus.  This is sure to be the TOUGHEST Half Marathon and 5K in Connecticut!  I know you are up for this challenge!”

Yea the last think I thought I wanted to do was run the TOUGHEST half marathon in Connecticut.  So I threw the flier away and went on with my vacation which was to start a week after I finished the Cheshire half.  I hooked up with Shannon for a morning of pool time with our kids and we were talking about what races I want to do.  She sent me a link later for halfmarathon.net and the hamden hills was on it.  I told her I had to sleep on it and decide if I can do another one after just finishing my first.  Plus it was hills and my first was mostly flat.  Of course the next morning when I woke up I knew I had to do it.  It was a challenge I couldn’t pass up.  I was worried that having 2 weeks of vacation with light running while on it that I wouldn’t have my training up to par for this one.  She told me that I was already trained and that I could do this.  I waited until I got home to register.  I did a 5K at home with just a decent hill and right after that race I went home and ran hills as well.  Then during the week I did more hilll running.  So I felt comfortable that I could at least finish.

My goal was to walk what I had to and I knew that I was going to be ok with a 3 hour finish cause I knew this was out of my league.  I read a great article by Dr. Rachel Runs about having a personal worst and I was planning on this for the race result.  I was anxious when I approached the race location.  The drive up the hill felt like driving up Mount Washington!  It circled around and kept climbing!  Then at the top I felt like I was in the clouds!  I had butterflies in my gut. I was anxious for the race to start.  Once it did I settled down.  The hills were hard, but I took some advise.  Walk up the hills and run down the hills.  5 miles into the race I saw that it took me an hour.  So I calculated that it took 60 minutes to do 5 miles, so 10 miles would be 2 hours and add 3 more to it and I’ll be close to a 2:45 finish.  I was very surprised at that estimate.  I texted Kevin to tell him when to expect to see me cross the finish line.  The last hill was killer.  It was impossible to run up.  I would run a few steps, then walk.  I mostly walked it, but I was determined to run past the finish line which I did.  2:42:49.  I was very pleased with that time.  Glad I did it, thanks Shannon!