today i ran my 4th half marathon, the kaiser permanente san francisco half marathon. i hadn’t really done any speed training or tempo workouts since CIM in training for this race, i just have been in the process of building my miles up to get ready for eugene marathon training. because of this i didn’t really expect a PR (1:48:15) but one can always hope 
after a busy saturday of running errands and wedding dress shopping with a friend, i finally sat down to eat a big bowl of pasta around 7pm. i relaxed and iced the rest of the night, but didn’t fall asleep until after 10pm. the alarm went off at 5am and after one hit of the snooze i was up and at the coffee pot. i drank my usual cup of coffee, had a english muffin with peanut butter, a banana and got ready to go. chris was running this race too so it was exciting to have him involved in all the pre-race stuff. he ran the SFM half marathon in august, but had been hurt and really didn’t want to be out there at all. so this was his first race he actually felt ready for and it was exciting!
we picked up tara and maritza just after 6am and headed into the city to meet up with kristin and julianne, our other ROHOs. this was the first race ALL of us were running together so it was really fun to all meet up and be excited to go. we got to the start around 7am and i hit the porta potties for time #1 then we met up and chatted and stretched. after another trip to the potties, we dropped off our bags and were getting ready to go after taking a pic of course. there were people everywhere!! this race was a lot bigger than i anticipated.
we lined up but were back pretty far, i could see the 8 min mile sign up ahead and wished i was up closer. after a lot of standing around and shivering they finally started the race and after a couple minutes we were crossing the start line.
the first mile chris and i were weaving in and out of people everywhere. it was so hard to find our pace and it really slowed us down. after a mile it got a little better, but we were still doing a lot of weaving to keep the pace up. we were running a bit fast and so we settled into the low 8′s which felt good and like a pace we could maintain. the air was cool and crisp but felt really good and i was glad i hadn’t started in my long sleeves. the first 5 miles went by pretty fast and we round back into golden gate park.
mile 1 – 8:49, mile 2 – 8:09, mile 3 – 8:22, mile 4 – 8:05, mile 5 – 8:09
mile 6 started the big downhill and i just let myself run as fast as i could with it. chris was inching ahead of me now and i wasn’t keeping up but i could always see him. mile 7 was another mostly downhill mile which dropped us off on the great highway where i got to see the leader coming into the finish! i was still keeping a good pace during mile 8, but the sun was definitely out and shining directly at me. the air was warm and i could feel myself getting tired and slowing down. the crowds were pretty thick on the way out on the great highway which made it hard to weave and get around people. somewhere in here i looked up and chris was right in front of me. i tapped him on the shoulder and smiled, i don’t think he was so happy to see me thinking i was further back i continued to struggle a bit through these miles with the sun, warmth and just getting tired. we hit the turnaround at mile 10 and i was really glad to be on the other side of the out and back.
mile 6 – 7:39, mile 7 – 7:50, mile 8 – 8:06, mile 9 – 8:28, mile 10 – 8:21
as i was heading back towards the park i saw all my girls and was able to cheer them on! i also got to see one of my best friends who was doing her very first (and hopefully not last) half marathon! i was so excited to see her and gave her a big high five as we ran by. the miles were ticking by and i was trying to keep the pace up but still wasn’t feeling too great with the sun. finally i was down to the last half mile, which of course was allll uphill to the finish line. this really wore me out, but i made it up the hill and gave it all i had to the finish.
mile 11 – 8:18, mile 12 – 8:21, mile 13 – 8:15, last .25 – 8:22
garmin stats:
13.25 miles/1:49:00/8:13 avg pace
race stats:
13.1 miles/1:48:58/8:19 avg pace
overall: 1473/5817
female: 415/3182
age group: 103/685
i saw chris come through the finish line very soon after me and then we went and got our shirts and water and waited for the rest of the girls. everyone had really great races and i am so proud of all of them!! it was so fun to have this race together and i have to say we looked pretty good too having the matching shirts made it SO much easier to find each other both during and after the race.
showing off our post race muscles
me and chris
our hard working feet
molly and me
i felt pretty good after and we even walked another 2.5 miles back to the car (can i count that in my weekly mileage log??). my legs are a tiny bit achy and i feel tired but not bad.
i was REALLY close to a PR and i know i probably could have pushed it just a bit harder to get it, but shoulda-woulda-coulda. i am really happy with this race and my time. its a real confidence booster going into training in a week knowing i can still run a half marathon at sub marathon goal pace without having done any speed training. i think its going to be a big benefit for me. my legs and shins had been achy too coming into this race with the mileage build and they didn’t hurt at all during the race or even after, which i am very happy about. the sun always throws me off which i know, so i am sure if it had been a foggy day i would have had some better later miles, but we aren’t always given perfect weather and have to take what we get. i have a half marathon coming up in march which after a few weeks of pfitz i think i am going to be ready to break that PR of mine. one more week until training officially starts!
i did do some celebrating during the superbowl and had a 40 and lots of yummy snacks with a couple friends. it was nice to relax, eat, drink and enjoy the game, even though i am sad with the winner.
total miles for the week: 38.4
Congrats, Aron! You did awesome and you and the rest of the girls looked so cute in your matching shirts
Congratulations on a great race! I’m glad it was a confidence booster.
You and the other ROHOs look totally adorable in the pink and black. I love it!
Post race food looks yummy. Love the matching shirt. Congratulations on your 4th HM!
Congrats Aron on a very strong race. You’re in great shape heading into marathon training. Great job out there!!
you are amazing!
You did really great! It looks like you girls really had a great time together! I love all of your matching shirts!
CUTE!! I also love that you were drinking a 40 during the superbowl. What a trooper!! 
Great job and rest those legs!!!
P.S. You should sign up for Chicago…. i’m going to, and attempt to finish a full marathon!! AHH i’m scared!
That’s a great time! Congratulations.
Totally awesome job, and I *LOVE* the matching shirts!
darling pics of you girls
i too was sad with the winner tonight. but at least it was a great game! ok…seriously, i found a 1/2 marathon i would like you to run: pretty, pretty please.
http://disneyworldsports.disney.go.com/dwws/en_US/events/eventDetail/detail?name=DisneylandHalfMarathonDetailPage&bhcp=1
You did awesome!!! Yay! I’m sorry I missed your party but boy…do I have a story for you!
Thanks for being so supportive out there, it was a great day! Yay matching shirts!
congrats on the race!! whenever i read your blog, i think ‘we are such similarly-paced runners!’. except that i have yet to get anywhere near a 3:44 marathon! therefore, i am CERTAIN that on a good day you will slam through your PR
Congrats and that was a great time on your half. I hope to break a new PR in March when I do mine. Your Superbowl snacks looked yummy too.
You guys are so cute!
What great race, and a great race report. Congratulations! You’ll do really well in training for the full!
LMAO! You ladies look awesome ;D
CONGRATS on a fantastic race and a great race report chica ;D
You girls look so cute in your pink tops! Matching was a great idea! Looks like you all had fun! Congrats on a great race!
Sounds like a great race! Glad you had fun and had some good friends to race with
congrats!!!! that’s crazy how close you were to your best time, you’re def consistent!
it’s tough that you had to weave in and out of people for so long, i usually try to start to the side of the pack so i can hopefully have a straight shot around past people. so much fun you had so many friends there!!!!!
Well done. Sounds like this was a nice race to keep your confidence high going into training! It will be need to track your improvement with the next half!
You girls look fabulous too!
What a smart idea to all wear the same outfits! Finding runners in a sea of runners is tough.
Congrats on your strong half marathon performance. I’m sure you’ll be getting a new PR soon.
A 40? You are a goose!
Great job on your half. You all look so cute! Hope Chris has picked up his ego back up off the floor after his WIFE beat him.
Great job Aron! Love the outfits!
oh my word, you all look so cute in your matching tops. Great job on your mileage.
Great job! Looks like a fun race. Love the matching shirts!
Great job! Just think what you’ll be able to do when you feel strong, amazing!! The pics are great. It looks like you had a wonderful time!
the pink shirts are great! congrats on your run!
Awesome race report Aron…way to go! I would definitely see this as a confidence booster – just imagine the time you could’ve come in with some tempos under your belt!
Sucks I won’t be running in SD with you guys so I could join in on the fun with my pink shirt, etc.
Great race girl!!! so glad we were able to do this together I know it definitely kept me going knowing all the RoHo ladies were out there!!! You are gonna kick some major training ass for Euegene!!!
Great race – you had some really speedy miles in there! I know what you mean about the sun out on the Great Highway – and that hill at the very end is a killer!
Congrats on a great race. Impressive, given that you did not do any speedwork for it. Ana-Maria
Great job Aron! Those shirts are too cute. Congrats on such a good race and you will dominate at RNRSD!
See you there!
Love your shirts! Congrats on the great finish.
Yay! I’m so glad to hear it was a fun race. Your shirts look great!
Congrats on a great race, and the matching shirts are very cute!
Good job! I love your matching outfits. It’s like you’re a cross-country team.
Great race! Congrats!
Fantastic time. It looks like we ate and drank the same things afterwards too! ha ha. You girlies looked adorable in your matchies!
Woo-hoo! First race of 2009, done in style!
Great job! As always, I love to read your race reports.
The matching shirts were soooo cute. I would love to do matching outfits in San Diego with others if they are willing…=)
I had to laugh at the part where you caught up to Chris…Justin would be SHOCKED if I ever tapped him on the shoulder during a race! =)
Cute shirts – that is a great idea!!
Great job on your first race of the year!
Nice race! And love the shirts!
Wish we lived closer… I’d like a running partner like who who can finish off a half marathon like that!
Yay for another fabulous race!!
Duane and I got home and totally passed out!
That was so close to your PR I can see why you’re happy, way to go!! you guys are all so cute, love it!
Woohoo! Congrats Aron. Sooo close to a PR and a very strong race!
Cute matching outfits.
Great race! I can’t believe you all have matching shirts. I want to be a part of your clique soooo bad.
)
You did a great job and I love the pics!
Great time. You did awesome.
Congrats on a great race! You are doing so well – Your marathon is going to be awesome!! Your mileage for January is amazing too!! You girls look cute in your matching outfits!
You did so great! Think of how awesome you are going to be after you really bust out the training. I love the shirts and I’m sorry, but since I run with my hubby I have to ask.
How awesome did it feel to come in ahead of him? Hehe…
Great job Aron. Its so cool that you guys got matching outfits for the race too!
You guys are too stinkin’ cute with your matching shirts
GREAT job on your race – congrats on that awesome pacing (PR or no, that’s FAST!!).
Congrats on your race, aron! You did fantastic…given that it’s only january. And you girls do look very cool with your matching outfits.
51 comments! WOW! And what a great race report. It’s strange to see you all in short sleeved shirts and obviously feeling the sun – it’s so cold here! You did so well to run so fast without any race specific training and how great to run it with Chris AND the Rohos.. Good stuff and well done. You’re on a great streak here!
What a report and fabulous pics. Congrats on running a really great race.
you guys are so cute in your matching shirts! a true racing team
terrific job in the half. you were only a few seconds shy of a pr, with NO speed work whatsoever! hello!! can we say huge pr to come soon
Congrats A!!! Great race recap!
Props on a great race…great race report too, thanks for sharing your pics and thoughts on the race….
Great report and race! That’s awesome that without speed training you were so close to a PR. You’ve gotten naturally faster! I love the pictures, and especially the 40.
You are awesome!!
And I love the pictures!! : )
That is so cool you have such a great group of ladies to run with! It makes it so much more motivating to get out there when you know your friends will be there also! Also, come check out my giveaway on my site! Being a runner, you would appreciate it!